Peter Wright

[Glenn]

The 100 Peter Wright belonged to my father who purchased it used from a junk or used tool store. He used occasionally to straighten or bend cold metal. 

 

The PW was given to me when I had to return the borrowed anvil I was using at the time. The rebound was amazing, compared to the other anvil. It was the right size for the projects I was working on and became the go tool for fixing or making new items. 

 

The rebound was good, the ring was heard at 4 city blocks, or the ring could be killed so you could work late into the night.  It seemed to have all the right curves for forming bends etc. and always  seemed to be the right size for the project at hand.

 

It was such a good tool I later purchased another 200 pound PW 

[ThomasPowers]

I own 3 Peter Wrights,  2 around 165# and 1 around 112#. 

 

My first 165# was bought at a yard sale for US$100 about 30 years ago---my wife to be told me I should get it and we celebrate 30th anniversary this summer...Face had been re done by someone who knew their business.  It still sees regular use.  (What I remember about this one is the seller asking me how I was going to get it to my car---so I picked it up abnd carried it over.  My fiancee told me that he remarked to his friend "He's more of a man than he looks!")

 

My second 165# one was traded for a wilton cadet vise and some boot with a gentleman on this board and took nearly a year for blacksmith's mail to deliver it to my shop:  (My apprentice picked it up on his way to California and then finally took it to a large SCA event which a friend local to me was attending.  The next time our friend was over at my shop he snuck it in and waited for me to notice.  Didn't take long; or long for me to figure it out...sneaksie apprentice my precious!)  Sure hope he liked the vice because I love the anvil and took it with me to be the "larger" anvil in my down south small portable set up.

 

The 112 I picked up off of Craigslist in Albuquerque.  I was hunting for lighter anvils to carry when I teach, paid US$150 two years ago; *mint* face and horn, one foot had the end broken off---no impact on it's use!  Funny that our wives ended up making the transfer at the university (actually my wife asked a passing student to move it for her...)

[HWooldridge]

I currently have a 250 PW and traded an old Winchester 92 for it. At the rate both anvils and rifles have increased in value, it was a fair trade - but I made several thousand dollars on the anvil, while the rifle would have just hung on the wall. The anvil needed a lot of repair before using but has served me well over 30 years. I also now have a 133 lb PW that has a dead flat face; couple small edge chips but I don't think this one was used much prior to coming into my hands. Very good ring and lots of rebound.

[CleetisMorgan]

I have 5 PW's. The ones pictured here are 154, 191, 112, and 100 lbs. The two smaller ones (on the floor) I bought for my kids who are 9 and 7, for future use. The 154 lb is my go-to anvil, I love it. They all have around 80% rebound. I bought these as a group for a grand total of around 1.90/lb .I also have an early PW 131 lb that fixed the face on that is not pictured.

[Dan C]

I got my 194 lb PW by watching the Pittsburgh craigslist as I had a friend offer to bring anything I found down on a moving truck to Texas.  I paid just under $1.50 a lb.  Good rebound except for the heel which also has two divots that appear to be from a torch.  There a very small amount of sway that's perceptible with a straight edge. 

 

 

I don't remember where I found the following so I can't give credit where credit is due, but this is something I found when trying to look it up.

 

"It is difficult to age a PW after 1860 when they went to the now classic London pattern. If it just says PETER WRIGHT PATENT, then likely 1860-late 1880s. If ENGLAND is added, then late 1880 to early 1900s.

The logo was stamped on in parts. Perhaps when someone did your's they simply forgot where to put the SOLID WROUGHT circle or the weight. Occasionally stamps were put on upside down.

Yes, on Peter Wright anvils. Might be an inspector mark or perhaps it meant it was approved for export. A classic sign of a post-1860 PW are small ledges on the front and back feet.

You may have a very early PW since in 1860 on their typical logo was (stacked): PETER WRIGHT PATENT. Then SOLID WROUGHT in a circle usually with the middle weight number stamped in it. About 1910 they added ENGLAND under PATENT.

A way to help bring out lettering is to lay on side and dust with flour. Brush off excess. What is left in depressions sometimes make stampings very easy to make out. If you do this I'd like to see a photograph of markings. Just click on my name and send as an attachment.

It is not in Anvils in America but I am fairly certain Richard Postman told me Peter Wright did start putting serial numbers on their late production anvils. They started putting ENGLAND on their anvils about 1910 and are thought to have gone out of business about the 1930s.

Peter Wrights seem to be about the most common old anvil in the U.S. judged by the amount which show up on eBay. They must have been exporting them to the U.S. in great quantity. "

 

 

 

 

[raymondglenn]

All very interesting, I have just started setting up a back yard hobby smithy, the anvil that I have is a PeterWright 3-0-21 the markings are peter wright patent (stacked) solid wrought. There is no mention of England or any other markings other than the weight code. Does anyone know the approximate age of this anvil. As I am in Australia I have not seen or heard of any similar anvils.
Glenn

[John McPherson]

The "England" stamp was for those items being marketed in the US due to tariffs and trade protections. The anvils bound for other Commonwealth countries like Canada and Oz did not have the marking.

[HWooldridge]

All very interesting, I have just started setting up a back yard hobby smithy, the anvil that I have is a PeterWright 3-0-21 the markings are peter wright patent (stacked) solid wrought. There is no mention of England or any other markings other than the weight code. Does anyone know the approximate age of this anvil. As I am in Australia I have not seen or heard of any similar anvils.
Glenn

357 lbs - that's a big one.

[raymondglenn]

Yes it is very large and difficult to move and setup, its resting place will be permanent I feel. I can not complain though as I scored the anvil for free when it was being thrown out during a workshop spring clean

[JTF]

In 1910 anything produced in England to be exported to the rest of the world had to have MADE IN ENGLAND placed upon it, so any Peter Wright without this branding is pre 1910.

 

My Peter Wright 2-2-25 { 305 pounds } landed on the docks of Cairns in 1901, it had been ordered for The Tilly Sugar Cane Farm { Edmonton, Nth Qld } and remained with the farm until it shut down. The anvil came up on eBay a couple of years ago and I paid $700 for it, this seems a lot but, 1. it is a Peter Wright , and 2. up here in Far North Queensland anvils are as rare as rocking horse xxxx, this end of the country settlement was only 150 years ago, even today I might as well be living on Mars when it comes to buying blacksmithing gear.

 

The old girl has had a hard life, the edges are rounded, chipped and blunt, but has great rebound and a beautiful ring. I am going to retired it to "The Pool Room" soon, only because I need sharp edges on the anvil for some of my work. I am going to get a new Doug Slack anvil about $850 for a 95 kg { 210lbs } and it will have to travel about 1500 miles to get to me.

 

You will never lose money on a pre-1910 Peter Wright, there will always be a collector { or an idiot } asking if you want to sell and if so how much.

 

By the way if anyone reading this is in Far North Queensland and has a Peter Wight anvil and is wanting to sell please let me know. { I am unsure which one I am , the collector or the idiot }

[Frank Turley]

I recently acquired a 350# PW in pretty good shape. It looks like a former owner did something repeatedly on the off-middle of the face where about a 4" portion is lowered and slightly mushroomed. That's not going to be a bother.

[ausfire]

 

up here in Far North Queensland anvils are as rare as rocking horse xxxx, this end of the country settlement was only 150 years ago, even today I might as well be living on Mars when it comes to buying blacksmithing gear.
 
 
By the way if anyone reading this is in Far North Queensland and has a Peter Wight anvil and is wanting to sell please let me know. { I am unsure which one I am , the collector or the idiot }

Mate, I'm reading this in Far North Queensland - just up the hill from you on the Tablelands. And you are so so right, finding any blacksmith gear up here is near impossible. All the good anvils are a long way south and you and I both know what freight companies are like.
It's nice that you know the history of your Peter Wright dating back to the early days of Cairns. We do have a Peter Wright (3 - 0 - 21) and it's a hefty piece of gear in very good shape. Came from a farm in Tolga and was donated to us.
I was unaware of your shop in Cairns. Perhaps I could call in and say g'day sometime. I was in Cairns today too!

[konnon6]

Its not the kind of anvil of anvil you use( I do have a PW ) but how you use it and the joy it brings you.
Its like your dog no matter how much you cuss at it you still love it and even though you don't play with it
its still there for you with a smile. The love you give it is returned twice over. After its been in the rain
it mite be rusty and muddy but its still there for you. The marks on my anvil are from many blacksmiths and if
I die it will be there to carry on my dog still lays in the shadow of my anvil too.

[KevinJohnsen]

I bought my first anvil this christmas off Craigslist. 360 pound peter wright! (3-0-24) marked on it. She's a beast! Made a short video of it before my camera died of low battery and cold. (was 10F [-12C] with a 30mph [~50kmh] wind)

 

 

She does have some minor damage, but nothing that is going to be a problem I don't think.

[ThomasPowers]

Looks to be in pretty good condition to me!

[anvil]

my first PW was 124#. I got it from a horse shoer for $80. he thought it was an 80# anvil. it had a little sway in it and bad edges. around '80 I went to Turley Forge. with his advice I refaced it.

my second was a 194#. it was given to me by a lady with a condition. she knew I was a student of Francis Whitaker. the condition was that I tell him his anvil had a good home. when I told him he nodded and never blinked an eye. that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.

my first was stolen 10 years ago and I replaced it with one I found at " the blacksmith candy store" on eBay. it is 124# and appeared to have a pitted face and was listed as "no reserve". I bid what I could afford with no expectation of winning. I got it with shipping from Michigan to Colorado for $280.

love my PW anvils!

[Rose Lodge Forge]

many people have talked about reconditioning surfaces of anvils but no one has stated what type of welding rod to be used to build up surfaces.Someone please inform me on this process,thanks and happy hammering.I was thinking of using 8018 low hydrogen rod ?

Edited March 20, 2015 by Rose Lodge Forge

[KevinJohnsen]

many people have talked about reconditioning surfaces of anvils but no one has stated what type of welding rod to be used to build up surfaces.Someone please inform me on this process,thanks and happy hammering.I was thinking of using 8018 low hydrogen rod ?

​There is a good forum post here that talks about many ideas and links to other posts and discusses it at length. As well as linking to other articles.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Here is my latest purchase. From the above info it appears it is pretty 1910. Any way to pin it down closer? Top isn't too bad.

[stan]

This Peter Wright 464lbs 3 foot 1 1/2inches has been sitting out here for about 30years condition is petty good.I bought its brother $900 guy said he would take $1000 for this one so if any of you Aussie are interested,close to two dollars a pound.

[Frosty]

Oooooooh! I'm thinking that's a darned good deal. Bummer it's on the other side of the planet. <sigh>

.Frosty The Lucky.

[njanvilman]

New PW added to the Fisher & Norris Museum.  I am not into PW, but this one caught my eye, and the price was right.  PW Farrier style, no cutting table.  This anvil has had a lot of use on the horn, note the worn shape from working thousands of horseshoes.  That is what sold me on this one.  I like anvils that have a clear history of use.  The top and edges are almost perfect.  Just some slight pitting from rust.

[AML]

Hi all

My name is Aaron, I'm new to this and really grateful for all the wonderful information you all have shared.  When I was young this was something I wanted to try.  I've worked wood (construction to carving) and stone but the idea of working metal has eluded me until now.  I've started putting together my "kit" and today I picked up a "1-1-13" PW.   I had the luxury of choosing from 10 old anvils ranging from about 90# to this one at 153#.   I read up on what to look for and, similar to stone, I have some familiarity with the clear ring.  This one rang clear and had the best bounce of the bunch. Decently flat on the face, though pocked a bit and the corners are a bit rough.  The horn is also pocked and a bit messed up at the tip - like someone was driving a pipe onto the end - anyway its only on the bottom, so I could probably carefully file it down.

I felt it deserved to be cleaned up a bit and more importantly, to be put into service - soon enough!

Since all of you are more experienced and have seen more anvils than me, I was curious about a couple historic things:

1 - What does the "D" at the bottom of the anvil represent (Please don't say: "down"!)

2 - What about the iron cross on the base of the leg?

Thanks

AML

[stan]

welcome AML can`t tell you what the D means many PW anvils have letters stamped in varies locations like on the front of each foot I was told it could be a batch number or something and have never seen the iron cross. But I can tell you your anvil was made after 1910.Would be good to see a picture of the whole anvil

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard AML, glad to have you. If you'll put your general location in the header you might be surprised how many of the IFI gang live within visiting distance.

Sounds like you picked out a sweet anvil, good job. It's a nice weight and should do you and your grandkids good service.

I've seen that cross stamp on another anvil posted here but I don't think anyone knew a solid meaning. Perhaps a maker's mark, owner marking it so it didn't grow legs, maybe same for a company buying anvils. Etc. etc.

Same thoughts about the "D". I was going to make a smart Alec suggestion about it standing for D bottom but that'd just be silly.

Frosty The Lucky.