I have a Henry Wright 105 lb anvil.  The face and step edges are in pretty poor condition but otherwise it seems sound.  I have been using it for about 4 years but I would love to have better edges to help improve my work.  I made an anvil block about 4 years ago and it is an acceptable substitute but I don't consider it a long term solution.  I have been quoted $300-$350 to have it repaired by a professional welder/ fabricator and blacksmith.  I have seen and worked on a few of the anvils he has repaired and they all perform well.  I have been told that I can buy an anvil for $2-3/lb but I can't seem to find any at that price.  Since the cost of repairs is close to the reported cost of another anvil I don't know if this particular anvil is worth putting the money into.  I am not a collector so the relative uncommonness of HW anvils does not have much additional value to me.  Are Henry Wright anvils of sufficient quality to merit this sort of investment?

 

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Some areas are "anvil poor" and quality anvils are hard to find.  The way I look at it, you're burning daylight trying to hunt down an anvil with a better face.  Even if the problems are only in your mind, they're still problems and are holding you back a bit.  If you do find another anvil, will it have a factory-fresh face on it?  Will it be as cheap as having your current anvil repaired?  Probably not, and it might take months or years to find an anvil that really speaks to you.

If the guy can repair your anvil for $300, and knows what he's doing as you say, it would certainly be a good investment.  Henry Wright is a good quality anvil to build up, so no harm there.

Worst case scenario -- as soon as you pick up your fixed anvil from the repairman, you'll see an "as new" anvil for sale for less.  It seems to happen regularly, so be ready to buy that second anvil!  

Also sometimes local groups will sponsor an anvil repair clinic; I've had anvils repaired now in both Ohio and New Mexico at such: excellent work and I had to force money on people to cover their consumables (and brought a propane tank for the preheat for my 410# anvil...)

Price some of the new anvils in that weight range. I have a 125# JHM I found on Craigslist, and it is a well built anvil. They are reasonably priced. Figure that you can probably sell the one you have for $300 at the current rate, add the $300 for repairing it, and you could spend $600 on a new anvil. That should get you what you want.

Thanks to all of you.  I hadn't thought of it the way BigGun described it.  If I have it repaired I fairly certain Murphy's law will intercede and I will find that perfect anvil.  Having one to take to Hammer-ins etc is the ultimate goal but I don't want to be greedy.