A cute old anvil

[Ed]

Sort of appropriate to have an anvil if you collect armor. I just got this on ebay.

The owner claimed 15th c. I suppose that it might be but I have seen some fairly Primitive looking pieces that are a lot younger. The decoration is useless for identification, it is a very common motif. In fact I have a Dolaie\r axe with some very similar designs.

I guess that there is no compelling reason for it to not be 15th century. It is a fitting addition no matter what it's age.

[Ed]

I don't care what you all think: I think it's cute.

You're all just jealous.

[Matchlock]

Exactly, Ed!

This heavy anvil was offered by the Munich auction house Hampel in December 2006. It was dated 1525. I don't know its whereabouts.

Michael

[Matchlock]

Originally Posted by Ed

The decoration is useless for identification, it is a very common motif. In fact I have a Dolaie\r axe with some very similar designs.

Hi, Ed,

I think you got a really cute little anvil and it perfectly matches your collection; it may well be as early as 16th to 17th century. Originally it was meant to be put into the recess of a bigger anvil for concentrating on detailed work.

I do not believe, though, that the decoration is useless for identification. It symbolizes the ancient tree of life (Lebensbaum), though mostly - as in the case of your anvil - crudely depicted. Although probably originating in at least the Celtic period, it is most common to ironwork of the Romanic, Gothic and Renaissance periods when it is often crowned by a either a cross or a stylized trefoil, the latter mostly reduced to three dots or pellets. Actually it is also common to plain everyday ironwork through the ages and up to the Historismus period of the 19th century.

I attach two examples of early Renaissance gun barrels bearing this crowned tree of life symbol:

- a Nuremberg bronze haquebut barrel, ca. 1515-20, the pan now missing, the touch hole blocked up and a crude percussion piston applied; obviously due this 'modernization' and the more powerful 19th century black powder, the barrel is burst. The piece is in the museum of Gerolzhofen/Franconia and applied with the spurious date 1474

- a Suhl wrought iron haquebut barrel mounted in a fine gun that I posted in my thread A tinder snap matchlock haquebut, 1530's

Michael

[Ed]

Hi Michael. Thanks for the photos.

I think your point about the ubiquity of the symbol makes my point: you find it everywhere therefore it does not discriminate.

I am not sure that it is a Hardy Tool, that tail looks a bit thin. My original thought was that it was made to be set into a log. We'll see.

It is cute though.

Shipping from Austria was the killer ... 100 eur!!!

I came close to having it shipped to you so you could have sat on it until the exchange rate got better.

Anyway, everyone needs one.

[Matchlock]

Of course you're taking the words right out of my mouth much better than I could utter them, Ed.

Thank you, my friend, and do let me know when you have found out more.

Good night, and do vote for the best presidential candidate tomorrow - that means all of you, folks!

Over here in ol' Europe, most of us have a definite favorite hope candidate for the U.S. and the world - but the election is yours.

Michael

[Matchlock]

Originally Posted by Ed

Shipping from Austria was the killer ... 100 eur!!!

I came close to having it shipped to you so you could have sat on it until the exchange rate got better. .

I would have loved to sit on it, Ed, no doubt about that - but would the two of us have lived to see the exchange rate getting any better?!

Michael