Around my area (Southern MS)  it seems that Wilkinson/Queens Dudley anvils are common. Other than these it will be a mix of Fisher, Vulcan, a Trenton or two or something with no distinguishable name. Why would finding an imported anvil be more common than an American made anvil? I would think from the mid 1800s forward that American made anvils would be more predominant. Would this have something todo by living in a state with costal ports?

Scott

Exactly, Mousehole anvils of Sheffield, England took a huge financial hit during the American Civil War due to blockades in the South,  I am sure others did as well. There were folks trying to block the import of "unfairly priced" sales of English (and Swedish) anvils up to the  Depression of the 1920's.

Hay-Budden was the premier American made anvil in the early 20th century, when NYC was the manufacturing hub of the USA. It cost about as much to bring in anvils as ballast from England as to rail ship them from the northeast. Sears sold Peter Wrights at a premium.

Maybe at one time, but today with so much moving being done I think the are pretty evenly spread out. Out West here I have bought Fisher,Vulcan,HB,JHM,Sodefors,and PW anvils.

Once Fisher moved to Trenton, NJ in the 1850's, they moved most of their product by ship, then rail.  Their factory was less than a mile from the main Pennsylvania Railroad mainline between Boston/NYC/Washington.  That connected to all E/W lines.

 

Here in Utah I seem to see a lot of Peter Wrights. Does anyone know why that is?

You know anyone that owns a car not made in America?  Why?

Some anvil brands  have very long histories of high quality and in some areas social considerations can make one *the* anvil to own.  Some places the local store might have carried one brand in particular. Lots of possible reasons.