Dating antique pewter

How do you date pewter?

Scrape a small flake of pewter from the pewterware item from an inconspicuous area. For instance, the inside of a cup or the underside of a spoon. Take the pewter flake to a laboratory and find out what elements compose the tin allow. A rough dating can be made by the chemical composition of pewter. Pewter from Roman times had 71.

When was pewter used in everyday life?

You will find examples dating from the 17th century through to the end of the 19th century; representing pewter used in everyday domestic life along with tavern wares and pewter items made for other purposes. 24 hours notice is required to view our pewter collection at the shop.

How can you tell how old an antique pewter is?

Most antique pewter bears some kind of marking, but this will vary with its age. An alloy of tin and copper or lead, pewter was a staple of domestic wares for five centuries--from the 1300s until the 1830s. Examine the outer rim of very old pewter plates and the handles of old ale-pots and tankards.

How can you tell if a pewter plate is real?

Examine the outer rim of very old pewter plates and the handles of old ale-pots and tankards. Look for impressed initials -- the touch mark or stamp of a registered pewterer. Crude initially, then becoming more elaborate over time, these markings appeared on antique pewter from the 1500s until the 1820s.

How do you identify a pewter maker?

Identifying the pewterer There was no central register of pewterers or their marks, so identifying the pewterers and the marks they used is only possible as a result of decades of research, a process that is still ongoing. The Pewter Society database of British & Irish makers and their marks is the most comprehensive source of information.

How do you make a rough dating for pewter?

A rough dating can be made by the chemical composition of pewter. Pewter from Roman times had 71.5 parts of tin for every 27.8 parts of lead, while French pewter in the sixteenth century CE had 112 parts of tin for every 26 parts of copper. Check the style and design of the pewter item for dating telltale signs.

What do the marks on a pewter mean?

If marks are present, they can help in identifying when and where the item was made or used. Whereas the marks on silver and gold have always been tightly controlled, there was very little control over the marks used by pewterers. As a result, they vary widely in form and significance. They fall into five broad categories:

How can you tell how old a pewter spoon is?

For instance, if you find a pewter spoon has an X quality mark, you can confidently estimate the spoon as post-1694, while pewter spoons marked with touches, signature-style designs particular to a master craftsman, are more characteristic of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries CE.

How can you tell if a pewter is real?

Because pewter is a soft metal, marks can often get very worn, but even if a touch is too worn to identify, you might nevertheless be able to identify the pewterer from other marks that are present.

How can I find out who was a pewter maker?

There was no central register of pewterers or their marks, so identifying the pewterers and the marks they used is only possible as a result of decades of research, a process that is still ongoing. The Pewter Society database of British & Irish makers and their marks is the most comprehensive source of information.

What are the different types of pewter marks?

British and Irish pewter is often unmarked. If marks are present, they can help in identifying when and where the item was made or used. Marks fall into three broad categories. Verification and capacity marks, often including a crown over the initials of a king or queen, or the symbol of a local authority.

Do pewter plates have lids?

This is not comprehensive, or definitive and may only lead the reader to ask for better guidance – and some attempt to find that for the reader will be given later. Pewter plates and mugs…. (generally it is said that a tankard has a lid)…. have a variety of marks on them.