Pewter, << PYOO tuhr, >> is an alloy that consists mainly of tin. It also contains antimony and copper. Pewter has a metallic, white color much like that of silver and a finish that can vary from dull to highly polished. It is widely used in making such articles as bowls, candlesticks, and tea services. Pewter is a soft alloy and dents easily. Articles made of pewter require care in handling.
Pewter consists of at least 90 per cent tin, a very soft metal. From 2 to 8 per cent antimony and up to 3 per cent copper are added to harden and strengthen pewter. At one time, most pewter also contained lead. But lead caused tarnishing. It also could dissolve in some foods and beverages served in pewterware, forming toxic substances. During the mid-1700’s, a nonlead pewter called Britannia metal came into use in England. It consisted of tin, antimony, and copper and did not tarnish. Today, Britannia metal and pewter are both used to make pewter articles.
How pewter is made.
The first step in making pewter is to melt the tin in a pot called a crucible. Next, antimony and copper are dissolved in the liquid tin. Once mixed thoroughly, the alloy is poured into metal, plaster, or wooden forms to cast the desired articles.
Pewter can also be poured into iron molds and then rolled and cut into standard shapes. Such shapes include disks, rectangular sheets, and wires, which craftworkers form into various objects. Pewter disks are shaped by a process called spinning. Spinning consists of holding the disk against a steel or wooden form turned by a machine called a lathe. Craftworkers use blunt tools to push the pewter into the shape of the spinning form. Pewter sheets are shaped into various items by hammering the metal with a leather, metal, plastic, or wooden mallet. Craftworkers use pewter wires as decorative trim for pewter articles. The parts of many pewter items are joined by a process called soldering (see Solder ).
Caring for pewter.
Pewter, if given proper care, does not tarnish or require polishing. It should be washed in hot, soapy water as soon as possible after being used. Pewter should be rinsed in clear hot water and dried immediately with a soft cloth. Pewter articles should not be left to dry in the air. Air drying sometimes leaves water spots, which are difficult to remove. Pewter should never be washed in a dishwasher because the heat of the drying cycle can darken the surface.
Pewter serving pieces should not be used in preparing food. Pewter has a melting point between 471 °F (244 °C) and 563 °F (295 °C), and so it can melt if placed in an oven or on a burner.
History.
Pewter ranks as one of the oldest known alloys and may have been used as early as 1500 B.C. From the A.D. 1300’s to the 1800’s, people in England and the rest of Europe used pewter household utensils extensively. Pewter became popular with people who could not afford gold and silver serving pieces.
Most of the early pewter used by the American colonists was imported from England. In 1635, an Englishman named Richard Graves opened the first pewter shop in the American Colonies. His shop was in Salem in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The colonists used many pewter articles, but few such items made by colonial craftworkers still exist. Tin had to be imported from England, and the English placed a high tax on it. Thus, the colonists had their old or damaged pewterware melted and recast into new objects. In the mid-1800’s, china and glassware gradually replaced pewter.
Today, most antique pewter is in museums or private collections. Such pewter may contain lead, and so it should not be used for serving food. Making objects out of pewter is a popular craft.
