Value of unusual anvil?

[bigegg]

As previously posted in the "acquired" thread:
I've had this for years.
I was told it is a travelling tinkers anvil, but I've never been able to find any info on it.
There's no makers mark, and to be honest, it looks hand forged, so probably made by the blacksmith.
It came from up near Caithness.

I'm wanting to sell it, but have no idea of value.
It's unusual enough that it might be better in a museum?

Anyone got any ideas as to value?

 

[Tigman]

Ive got something similar it fits into the hole in my large anvil !

I will take a picture tomorrow

 

[Screwdriver]

Looks like it is used with a post vice. Condition is pretty poor for it to be put into service without some sympathetic restoration. Can't see it making much more than £50 - £80.

That's just a guess...

 

[awemawson]

"Tinman's Stake"

 

[bigegg]

"Tinman's Stake"

A tinman's stake has a much longer narrower bick?
And this one has a pritchell hole - which a stake doesn't, afaik

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Tinker tool anvil.

The spike and washer indicates it is meant to be ground mounted, if it was square section it would fit in the hole in an anvil.

Not seen one down here for sale for a while.

But in posh second hand shops they were asking for £100.

Car boot sales as low as £10.

But auction houses and decent second hand shops £40 to £75 depending on condition.

In one of the old town history book there was a picture of a "Tinker" working on cooking pots, in the image is something similar stuck in the ground.

 

[Migmac]

Could it be some sort of farriers mobile anvil ?

 

[bigegg]

Tinker tool anvil.

The spike and washer indicates it is meant to be ground mounted, if it was square section it would fit in the hole in an anvil.

Not seen one down here for sale for a while.

But in posh second hand shops they were asking for £100.

Car boot sales as low as £10.

But auction houses and decent second hand shops £40 to £75 depending on condition.

In one of the old town history book there was a picture of a "Tinker" working on cooking pots, in the image is something similar stuck in the ground.

Not as rare as I thought, then.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

@bigegg

Not seen one for a while, I will wait.
But I understand different area's had different patterns, but all looked hand forged.

 

[bigegg]

Could it be some sort of farriers mobile anvil ?

Quite possibly - it is *just about* big enough to reshape a shoe.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

It's unusual enough that it might be better in a museum?

http://www.scottishmuseums.org.uk/scottish-museums/laidhay-croft-museum.html

 

[julianthegypsy]

Quite possibly - it is *just about* big enough to reshape a shoe.

No. Farriers tend to use at least 1 cwt or 1 1/4 cwt anvils. I know, I used to have to lug it in and out of the pick up with its block and the mobile forge! You could bend a shoe with it but its not big enough to flatten it afterwards. That looks like it was made to fit in a heavy metal disc that was put on the floor to take the downward thumping and probably clamped to a stand of some sort, just like blacksmiths leg vices.

 

[awemawson]

'Tin Men' were Travelling Tinkers who would repair pots and pans and any other small metal household item by the side of the road, often on a simple fire between stones on the verge. Horse drawn caravan often.

It's a 'Tinmans Stake'

 

[Parm]

It's got a sharp pointy bit at the top, the leg looks ever so slightly curved and it's got another sharp pointy bit at the bottom.

Let me do you a big favour by taking it away so you can't injure your self and also protect you from breaking any sales/purchasing laws by selling something dodgy.

Leave it in a corner, cordoned off with hazard warning tape and I'll pick it up latter on

 

[Olderisbetter]

I would say £50-£80 at the right outlet, I have a few things like this normallt i clean them up with a bit of WD40 and wax them after, Or coat them in Vactan which i one of those rust conversion formulas.This is a leg vice i coated with it that was quite rusty, Note it is upside down...