So any numeric markings for weight will be in pounds. Fisher never used the English weight system.Earlier Fisher models didn’t have bolting lugs.The feet of Fisher anvils changed in 1877 from the London style to the Peter Wright style.I could spend a lot of time on Fisher anvils, but that’s not why you’re here.īefore moving on, here are more tidbits identifiers that may come in handy. Sometimes it’s presented on an anchor other times, you’ll see shives of wheat.Īfter the Civil War, anvils shipped to the south had no eagle, just the lone anchor.Īnd sometimes, the traditional eagle mark was replaced with the Fisher name.Įach mark deviation will give you a clue as to how old your Fisher anvil is. Most antique Fisher anvils found have an Eagle on the side. Throughout the company’s history, there have been five or six iterations of the logo. Fisher and Norris were established by Mark Fisher in New Jersey. But these antique anvils will all share the recognizable Eagle Anvil Works mark. Using tool steel on the face of their anvils, Fisher and Norris boasted a quieter and impenetrable exterior.įrom 1843 through 1979, Fisher made many specialty anvils with necessary style variations. Mark Fisher established his company on the backbone of his patented plating process. A tool steel face plated to a cast iron bodyįisher and Norris formed in 1843 under Eagle Anvil Works, the first major American anvil company.A logo consisting of an eagle, an anchor, or both.With any luck, you’ll be able to use that to identify your own anvil. Instead, I detailed nine of the more popular antique anvil makers. It would take too long to detail every type or brand of an anvil and how to identify them. Antique Anvil Brands Let’s look at nine anvil brands with a long history. Today, most anvils are constructed chiefly of cast steel. Tool steel is a carbon alloy steel best suited for manufacturing and tool making. Mark Fisher of Fisher and Norris patented an anvil-making process incorporating a tool steel plate. What Kind of Steel Are Old Anvils Made of? Old anvils often used wrought iron or tool steel, depending on the brand and period.Įach antique anvil brand used the metals they deemed best for performance and cost-effectiveness.Įarly iterations of anvils used a wrought iron body and a steel plate for the face. Lastly, you could locate the anvil manufacturers’ mark as their chosen methods can give you the answer you need. Expect to see some wear and tear around the holes.Īnother way to define which anvil-making process was used is to strike its face and listen for the sound.Ī casted anvil doesn’t often emit a ringing when struck with a hammer. Whereas forged anvils often have identifiable handling holes used during the forging process. One of the simplest ways you can tell if an anvil is cast or forged is to look for a casting line or handling holes.Ĭasting lines will show as a seam from the bottom of the anvil to the top. How to Tell if an Anvil is Cast or Forged Learning who made the anvil and when is a great start if you’re unsure. Other brands changed the metal they used or how the anvil was made when newer technology became available. If the serial number can’t be found or read clearly, you can examine the anvil’s other features to narrow the age range.įor example, some antique anvil brands had different markers during different periods in time. Most enthusiasts have a copy of Anvils in America and will kindly look it up for you. If you don’t have a copy of the AIA, posting the serial number on one of the forums is a good alternative. Use the identifies available to determine an anvils age. In a perfect world, your anvil has a serial number either on the base or the body, which you can look up to identify its age by utilizing the AIA. But if the markings are legible, your chances are good. How to Tell the Age of an Anvilĭetermining the age of an anvil can be difficult. But the two resources that hold the most value are and a book called Anvils in America by Richard Postman, usually referred to as the AIA. Of course, a Google search will uncover several forums. To correctly identify an antique anvil, you must analyze the markings, shape, imperfections, the metal used, and unique characteristics to narrow down the anvil maker’s identity.Īs I said, only a few resources are available to you. How Do You Identify an Antique Anvil? I know it can be tricky, like any other relic, but use your available resources.

Notches from testing the solidity of the shaped metal.You’ll generally come across four types of markings on most antique anvils. The markings on an anvil will tell you its history if you know how to read it. Good Luck! What Do the Markings on an Anvil Mean?

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