Anvil

I have been in the market for an anvil on and off for about a year.  My interest is strictly in filling out my repertoire of vintage strength & grip equipment.  Lifting an anvil by the horn was a sign of an incredibly strong grip.  This was especially true as the anvil in question approached 200 pounds.  

Unlike the Thomas Inch dumbbell, there is little standardization in the way of anvil feats of strength.  They all have different weights and shapes.  When tested, they usually appear in grip medleys.

On the front range, I have seen them listed for around $2-$5 per pound and are scooped up quickly on Facebook Marketplace.  Part of my problem, is that I really do not want a 100+ pound paperweight that will be part of the puzzle game I implement every time I work out.

Seth Morrow posted this little gem on Tuesday night for $100 and I was fortunate to be one of the first people to contact him.  I could not determine the weight from pictures, but offered to stop by his shop the same day.  We ended up meeting the next morning and I was pleasantly surprised.  I was also relieved that he marked it as pending for me.  Apparently he had 30 more inquiries after we messaged.  With that being the case, I did not even consider haggling with him.

It is marked II & B Co (Illinoi Iron and Bolt Company) and 5 indicating it is a 50 pound anvil.  They were in production from 1875-1969 and I will be curiously looking for a year stamp tonight.  It is not in great shape with the horn being misshapen and years of use.  However, it is perfect for me.  I could nearly pick it without a warm up or chalk and should be able to enjoy it in the gym for feats of strength.