So I just today cleaned up a bit an anvil in pretty good shape, my father gave me 40 yrs ago. It says 'Henry Wright, England, Warranted'..then some numbers and the bottom number is 101. I had never looked for nor seen these markings before

Anyone have an idea as to rarity, age, value?

Many thanks,

Mike

Welcome from the Ozark Mountains.

Knowing where in the world you are located and pictures of your anvil will help in answering your questions. The only one that I can answer is about the numbers.  It is the weight from when the anvil was made. The English Hundred Weight system which in this case is 113 pounds 112+0+1 added together.

I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sail’s.
Semper Paratus

 

And pictures.

Good morning, agreed, pictures and location would help. Henry Wrights are wrought iron with a steel faceplate, similar to the more common Peter Wright anvil and possibly made by a relative. If I recall, they're often stamped with Dudley, England, where Peter Wright made his. They're not uncommon exactly, but rarer in the United States by far than in England. I've seen a couple, but only a couple. Usually late 1800s, post-Civil War.

Value is greatly dependent on the anvils, their condition and where you live. On the east coast of America where anvils are easier to find, similar anvils in good shape may only be worth 3-4 a lb, on the west coast where I'm at, they can easily go twice that or more. 

Also, I don't know your experience level; when it comes to "cleaning up" an anvil, highly recommended to avoid most aggressive techniques. Non-knotted wire brush is usually the way to go, followed by a light coat of some sort of oil. I like boiled linseed, but it takes awhile to dry and note that rags used to apply it may catch on fire if left in the open. Grinding, flap discs, milling, etc is generally a very, very bad idea.

Actually, because polymerization is an exothermic process rags soaked with linseed oil will get hot and can spontanously combust if they are confined in a close space (like a bucket of can) while if they are out in a well ventilated open space the heat dissipates and is not a safety hazard.  I always hang my linseed oily rags over something like they were wet and I was hanging them to dry out.

A lot of folk, including some fire professionals, think that "oily rags" are a spontaneous combustion hazard, even those oily with, say, motor oil, because they don't know the difference between drying oils like linseed and petroleum/lubricating oils.  Since the use of linseed oil has become less common the danger has also become less.

That said, if someone teaching a fire safety course says that oily rags are dangerous do not try to publicly sharp shoot them.  Maybe discuss it with them privately later.

Yes, my father was a Captain on the Chicago Fire Department.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

I have a Henry Wright anvil as well. I have heard that they are imposter anvils. Not sure if that is correct or not. I am looking to sell and know that there are not many in the States. 

Good Morning,

I wouldn't down grade an Anvil, because of the name Henry. Henry can do just as good of job as any other Peter. My understanding is Henry is part of the same 'Family line' as Peter. Henry didn't do as much marketing as Peter.

Enjoy it for what it is, not who it is.

Neil

I am probably tardy with the information but I just saw you post.  HW anvils were marked for their weight in lbs (at least the ones for importing to the US) vs Peter Wright are marked for English Hundred Weight.  If you HW anvil is marked 101 it weighed 101 lbs at the time of manufacture.