Family Treasure

Hobo,NC

Well-known Member
Location
Sanford, NC
How many of Y'all can say you own something your great great Grad paw owned... This anvil has been handed down my Uncle Pee Wee (Rosser) had it in his shop he has passed away. Every time I went into his shop I Looked at it every time I got to hammer on it I broke a sweet on it knowing those before me broke a sweet on it... I had to leave my mark... Rosser ask me to put his bent up mower deck back together around the first of the year... I drug it out and used it to straighten some parts I was not going to miss a opportunity that may be my last to use it.... Well the parts were spose to be bent like they were :) I got to beat on the anvil some more to undo what I had done... I was in his shop today and made the comment before Y'all throw any thing away that Y'all don't know what it is let me look at it first... Aunt May said you know that big thang in the back of the shop Rosser wanted you to have it. I said "whut big thang" she said "That big thang that belonged to your Great Great Grand paw Rosser wanted you to have it" I said "that anvil" She said "Yes".... I can tell Y'all its a honor to be thought of this way I am blessed... ( Y'all Wimmins may not understand but I can tell ya the Men folk does) NOW the BIG question do I clean it up are treasure the sweet and blood that has found its way on it... ? I plan to add some more every chance I get and think about the ones before me... I would guess its a 150lbs it was all I wanted to lift it on the table...


mvphoto4784.jpg
 
I wouldn't do a thing to it to clean it up, There is a story to every scratch nick and ding on it and to me she looks like she has aged well! The only thing I would do is find a big chunk of oak or hickory to mount it to, Just like it should have. Bandit
 
Glad you got to keep it in the family. I had the
chance to keep a bunch of Grandpa's treasures.
Unfortunately most of it slipped away. My cousins
picked through first and scrapped alot they thought
was "junk". But I have a few things and cherish
them too!
 

I did not give it much thought because the thought is the norm with Rossers son... Cousins kids were there and said they would ratter I have it than it end up with there dad... Yes he would sell it in a heartbeat $$$ to pizz away is all he's after...
 
Your family must be good and careful mechanics to get that many years out of an anvil.

I know some, me included, can "tear up an anvil!"

Bill
 
I would leave it be. I know there are people that can repair them and make them like new. I also have seen many of them ruined by poor repairs. I share the feeling of each mark being a reminder of your families use of this anvil.

I have the two anvils that my Great Grand Father and Great Great Grand Father used. They will never be sold as long as I live. My oldest son wants the one and my youngest wants the other one. My other children are fine with this as they are interested in other things from the family's history.

I also agree with Bandit. Get a good block of wood and mount your anvil to it. I went and made a steel stand for one of my anvils. It just does not "sound" right on that steel stand. I have a good block of red oak I am going to square off for it.
 
That is incredibly neat. Glad you got it.

I agree with what the others said - leave it as-is, but perhaps mount it to a chunk of oak. Would also be good to add an engraved tag to that oak that has your great great grandfather's name, then who it was passed to, then you. (Or however the progression was.)

My dad has the shotgun of my great-great grandfather that is over 100 years old. It will also be passed to my brother or myself, then to one of our boys. Neat to keep stuff in the family all these years...

Kevin
 
Mine are old, but not from the family. And I've been influenced by a guy who did some really nice work.

I would by no means prettify it, but I would have no hesitation putting the working surfaces in good condition (fettling, if you'd like a word as old as the anvil...) The top face should be smooth, as should your hammer faces, so as not to mar the work. I probably would remove the paint drip.

So, I'd vote for honoring your heirloom by using it as it was intended to be used, rather than carefully preserving every abuse it's suffered. But don't go hog-wild on it (cleaning up the surfaces can certainly be overdone by the overzealous.) Just consider that Great Great Grand Pappy would perhaps be more satisfied to see his anvil doing what anvils are supposed to do, in the condition they are supposed to be to do it.

And yes, by all means, get it a stump.
 
I have an anvil that belong to my grandfather and
then my dad and now me. Every mark on it I am sure
has a story behind it. My grandfather use to use
it to shoe their horses and every time I use it I
think of how many hours he must have stood by it
with a hammer in hand. Their farm was sold many
years ago but I still remember the black smith
shop standing. I wish they would have had metal
dectors back then to see what was left in the
ground. I have a picture of him and the last team
of horses he had. My uncle and dad kept those
horses until they died
 

Back in the day a horse was a valuable property... I have a will from my great grand ma..

North Carolina Lee County
I Sallie A. Riddle of Said County
and State do now own and
have in my possesion a gray
mare by the name of Minini
formerly owned by Mr Pig Ginter
And for the love I have for my
two boys James Worthy Rosser &
Thomas N Rosser I do here Give
And Assign to the boys above
named All my right and title
to the said mare for them to
have and hold the Same
to their own use. Nevetheless
therefor provided. the same said mare
is to remain in the posession of
the said Sallie Riddle and remain
at home for the use of the family
while I live but in the event
of my death then and there the
mare is to be owned and con-
troled by the said boys This
instrument is made and
signed by the said Sallie A.
Riddle this 20th day of Nov. 1918
Witness A.W.Wicker Sallie A. Riddle
 
I agree with the other posters as to clean it just enough to make it workable as it was ment to be used and mount to block of wood then go to working it as your great great grand paw used it.
I have some of my father's father's tools from when he was a pattern maker back around turn of the century (late 1800s to early 1900s)
 
My nephew bought the anvil on my cousin's estate sale. He didn't find out until later that it had originally belonged to his maternal great-grandfather.
 
Need to build you a forge now so you can shape hot
steel. Beating on cold steel will put marks and
damage a good anvil. Also keep your forging hammer
for forming hot steel and have another for striking
cold steel. Use a piece of scrap steel plate when
cutting on anvil so you don't damage top. Find a
group around you to learn blacksmithing, It can be
rewarding.
 
Don't change it one bit Hobo! As you use it, let your sweat and blood join that of your GG Grandpaw. I may have some of my GG Grandpa's personal things, but they are probably buried somewhere on this place along with those from my Great Grandpa, Grandpa, and Dad. I have a few things that belonged to some of them, and we live on and farm the land where they all lived and farmed. It's truly special!
 
Hobo, If it ever looks like somebody is about to
take it away from you, bring it up here to the
mountains. We'll hide it for you and you can come
visit it ANYTIME you want. OK?
 

I have one like it that belonged to my GG Grandfather. It is called an English colonial era anvil. If I remember correctly they where made in the late 1700's and early 1800's. I left mine just as it was.
 
I have an anvil that has been in the family for yrs, Got to check to see how far back it goes. I have a piece of utility pole about 18 inches in dia planted at door of shop for a bollard to keep me from backing into door sides. The anvil sits on that. I am afraid some scrapper will pick it up (with help as it is big). I remember my great granddad, about 60 yrs ago telling me the DEVIL WOULD GET ME FOR HAMMERING COLD STEEL ON A GOOD ANVIL.
 
(quoted from post at 18:54:46 03/15/14) Glad you got to keep it in the family. I had the
chance to keep a bunch of Grandpa's treasures.
Unfortunately most of it slipped away. My cousins
picked through first and scrapped alot they thought
was "junk". But I have a few things and cherish
them too!

Amen and DITTO! :roll:
 

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