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Artisan Ideas, in collaboration with Richard Postman’s family, is proud to offer you this authorized reprint ofAnvils in America (AIA) — the definitive reference on the manufacture, history, identification, and lore of the anvil.
Despite higher printing costs, the retail price remains $115, unchanged since the last printing.
Anvils in America is a 564-page hardcover with over 700 illustrations.
It covers anvil makers, patterns, weights, markings, and history from Europe, England, and America.
Collectors and blacksmiths regard AIA as the authoritative source for identifying and dating anvils.
“This book is huge… worth as much as any $200 reference I’ve bought.” – Jock Dempsey, AnvilFire
Specs
• Hardcover, 564 pages
• 700+ illustrations
• 11¼ × 8½ × 1½ in., ≈ 5 lbs
• ISBN 9798987738979
• Printed 2025
🔍 Extended Description
Artisan Ideas is happy and proud to announce that, with the kind collaboration of Richard Postman’s family, we have reprintedAnvils in America (AIA).
About the Book:
Anvils in America is an extensive and impressive research piece covering how anvils were made, who made them, and where. There are dozens of old anvil advertisements and hundreds of pictures of anvils with explanatory text.
Richard Postman defines the seventeen distinct parts of an anvil, discusses weights and markings, and explains how to date an anvil and why there are so many different patterns and types. Materials and manufacturing processes are thoroughly covered. This book is a must for every blacksmith and collector.
“When I ordered this book I thought it was a little pricey, but after getting my hands on it I realized that it was worth as much as any of the $200 references I’ve bought from ASM. When this encyclopedic reference was first published, it sold out its initial run in less than a year. Now in its fifth printing, it remains the single authoritative reference on anvils, their manufacture, history, and lore.Referring to Anvils in America is so common in blacksmithing and collecting circles that it is merely referred to as "AIA". Want to know when your anvil was made? Refer to AIA. Want to identify the maker of your anvil and learn their history? Refer to AIA."– Jock Dempsey, AnvilFire guru
The early history of anvils begins with European makers, many now long gone. The story continues with the dominance of English anvil makers, then the rise of U.S. manufacturers, and finally the appearance of modern makers. Anvils in America documents all of this in detail, including manufacturer logos, serial numbers, and rare archival material.
Many rare and unusual anvils are shown — including bridge anvils, chainmakers’ anvils, sawyers’ anvils, and double-arch anvils — along with anvil lore, humorous anecdotes, and true stories from the field.
Specifications
Related topics:blacksmithing book, anvil history, toolmaking reference, anvil makers, blacksmith tools, anvil collecting, Richard Postman, Artisan Ideas, anvil manufacturing, forge equipment, metalworking books, AIA book, blacksmith reference, anvil identification, blacksmith history
