Anvil Brands! I would really like. But if you have a Hay Budden (Or many of these listed were made by Hay Budden) The serial number will give a good indication as. What exactly do you mean by IDing it? Most people mean they want to know the make but if you alr Andy know it is a Hay Budden that can't be it. With the serial number you gave I might be able to dig a date of manufacture out of Anvils in America but I don't remember if Hay Budden is a brand the. Hay Budden was in business approximately between 1890 and 1925. There's a book (Anvils in America by Richard Postman) that has a lot of info including serial numbers that might give you a more precise date. Supposedly the bases were serial numberd to match the anvils. Hay Budden is generaly regarded as one of the best anvils made. The size and condition of yours makes it rather desireable to the blacksmithing comunity. Value varies widely with location. Areas that settled early have lots of old anvils in barns and dont bring as much money.
I recently came across a Hay-Budden blacksmithing anvil. I believe it's ~150 pounds.
(There's a 1 -space- 52 stamped on the right side under the company name, etc.) Can someone please post a (complete) range of Hay-Budden serial numbers vs. Manufacturing dates? I see several topics asking for the age of a particular serial number anvil, and thought this would be a good place for people to reference if someone has that information handy. I assume Anvils in America has that information available. If someone has a copy that they could look up that information, that would be great. I will post pictures of my anvil as soon as I remove some of the rust.
Markings on a Hay Budden Anvil: GG's (and Al) Ok. Enough about patina. Thats for Patricks's foo foo tool buyers! (I am sure I will get responses to that commnent but what ta heck LOL). I have manly question!!! Since the Hay Budden anvil I bought yesterday has a fairly heavy coat of green paint I cannot find the serial number or weight mark. Serial number is 1602. B and 22 could be anything, such as hay budden serial numbers batch number, inspector mark or anvil crew identification. To download HAY BUDDEN SERIAL NUMBERS, click on the Download button. I will eventually build a forge with a firepot, it's hard to get a deep budven with a rivet forge. Some Trenton anvils also. Hay Budden List Serial Number And Activation; Hay Budden List Registration Process Or; Im pretty sure it is a Hay Budden manufactured in 1907 based off my research online on other forums about anvil dating. Does it sound like Ive identified it correctly Regardless, Im a happy camper.
My serial number is 205805 and the anvil was made in 1913. Here is what the guys from Keenjunk told me: Laredo, If memory serves right, you have a post 1909 Hay Budden. A subreddit devoted to all things blacksmith. Feel free to show off your latest creations or get advice on a problem, or anything else related to blacksmithing!
Thanks in advance! That makes sense to me, guys. I took photos of the anvil, and can now make out the serial number. It is either 38469 or 39469. Hopefully, someone can tell me what year this was manufactured. This is the only anvil I've ever owned, and I'll probably sell/trade in the future.
I have no idea what it's worth, but I don't want someone to take advantage of my lack of knowledge. I did know enough to know that antique anvils are sought after. Any recommendations on how to properly clean it up without decreasing its value? Wire brush and oil?
Pressure washer? It looks like it was rode hard and put away wet, but it is ~100 years old. Thanks for any information you can provide on this anvil. Hay-Burden Anvil, S/N 38469 (or 39469). 37,000 - 42,000 is listed as being 1898 In reality anvils are not considered *old* till they date earlier than 1800; then they get a premium for age.
The reason 'non-modern' anvils are sought after is they are often well made compared to many 'Anvil Shaped Objects' for sale in recent times. They are also much cheaper than the 'good' modern anvils usually at least 1/2 the price of the same size 'good' modern one. Location pays a part too; anvils where I live now are 50-100% higher priced than where I used to live.
Removal of loose rust and oiling/waxing/linseed oiling. Is generally considered OK PAINTING is NOT---As painting is sometimes used to hide flaws I discount the price of a painted anvil to reflect the risk. Grinding or milling the face is a bad thing to do I generally will not buy an anvil that has had this done to it as it has the capability of destroying it's usability or at least cutting the use life WAY WAY down. I'm more interested in using anvils and so the brand and condition is important to me and not the age! I'd rather have one in great condition that is 'recent' than one in poorer condition that was decades earlier.
Identifying Hay-Budden Anvils
There were several changes made to the Hay-Budden Anvil during their years of operation. I caution and remind everyone that each anvil was built and crafted by hand by a “gang” of men. The materials, forge environment, men and manufacturing processes changed daily and with time. Not every Hay-Budden will be an exact match to the descriptions I provide below.
1880 Hay-Budden anvil was made of three pieces. The “Top Plate” or “Faceplate” forge welded to Upper Body usually a distinctive visible line is present ½ to ⅝ below the Top Plate surface (depending on size of anvil) where they were joined. These two already joined pieces were then forge welded to the Lower Body or Base to complete the anvil. In the book, “Anvils in America”, 'These early Hay-Budden anvils have three handling holes (square holes actually) with one in the bottom of base (underneath), under Horn in middle of the waist and one under Heel (smaller of the other holes) in the middle of the waist.' The majority of these anvils will also be marked with a number stamped under the Horn and either on the left or right side of the handling hole. The number(s) can also be upsde down on some anvils. In addition, some anvils may have a number(s) stamped on both sides of the handling hole. If no other marks can be found or determined on a anvil but a number is found marked near handling hole under horn THIS INDICATES it to be a Hay-Budden made anvil. No other manufactures of anvils is known to apply a number in this location. These are single digit in the range of 0 to 9 but consistent in size and Font on all the Hay-Budden anvils I have seen to date. The Hay-Budden anvils made during this time may only contain a retailer’s name and weight stamp or both a retailer’s name and Hay-Budden trademark stamp sometimes overlapping with weight stamped in below. The Hay-Budden stamp may also be small fitting within 4 to 5 inches.
1880 - 1892
Early Hay Budden anvils 1880 - 1892 may not have serial numbers and may be marked with a retailer’s name or logo with no indication it was made by Hay-Budden. The waistline of the early Hay-Budden is narrow or thin with curve from the feet up heel and from under horn down to feet compared to later made anvils. The weight is stamped in waist in US Pounds under retailer’s name. Hay-Budden anvils at this time were made with a forged base made up of wrought iron scraps and plates welded together creating lines that follow the shape of the base. The bottom of the base has a edge width roughly ½ inch wide profiling the base. This edge side toward the interior creates a shoulder set back approximately 1/16 to ⅛ back making a recessed cavity.
1892 - 1995
Still following the description above but in 1892 Hay-Budden was awarded the contact to make the farrier’s anvil for S.D. Kimbark (Originator of the Farriers style anvil). Per Richard Postman’s book,” Anvils in America”, Hay-Budden started applying serial numbers around this time or when Hay-Budden incorporated in October 1893. These serial numbers are located on the left foot face under the horn of the anvil. The “Font” of the numbers and size of the Font has remained consistent across all the anvils from what I seen in person or in photographs.
1900 all things remaining the same as describe above but Hay-Budden widened the waist providing more material under the working surface and no longer did the side profile have the smooth continuous curve under heel and horn down to the base and feet. The waist became thicker giving a more of a block shape to the middle waist area between Heel and Horn.
Hay Budden Anvil Serial Numbers
1908-1925
Major Changes
The anvils made by Hay-Budden during this last period contained all the prior described markings. I would like to say that most of the anvils I have seen in the later years of production have the large Hay-Budden trademark and few retailer names applied.
Hay-Budden changed the manufacturing process during this last period and started successfully producing “Plate-less Anvils” (no top plate) making the entire “Upper” half (top and body) from one piece of forged steel. There is no Top Plate line or seam to be seen or identified.The base remained forged from wrought iron or low carbon steel. The waist area was now narrow and nearly straight with this change in the manufacturing process using blocking dies to form the two pieces. These later made anvils can have a base cavity reaching 2 inches deep. The edge of the base (underside) is wider with 1 to 1 ½ inches width. These anvils have only two handling holes. A handling hole being located in the base center (underside) and the other handling hole located under Horn in waist. Hay-Budden also added numbers on the opposite side of the anvil from the trademark side up in the tapered area of the Heel. These number range from two to three digits in random ordering.
Also note some times letters were stamped in after the serial numbers and/or on end of feet such as 'BB', 'SS' and possible other combinations.
Experimenting with casting steel anvils (more to come at later date on these)
I would like to note, once anvils reach the “heavyweight” category exceeding 300 pounds additional handling holes were added per Richard Postman’s book, “Anvils in America”. Per Postman the post 1908 heavyweight anvils had the standard two holes with one located under the Horn and one under the Heel with additional two holes added in the base. These two additional holes were located with one being in the middle of foot face under the Heel and the other hole located in the waist under the Heel (like the 1892-1908 anvils).
Hay Budden Weight
Serial Number series of Hay-Budden Anvils per the book Anvils in America:
Approximate dates with a plus or minus two year fluctuation
Year 1892 starting serials, number 1
Year 1917 ending serial numbers with number 250,000
Year 1918 re-started serial numbers with prefix letter “A”, number A1
Year 1925 Hay-Budden ended production and the serial numbers in the range of A57,000