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Pewter January 2002 Featured Exhibit Sunday, January 13, 1
- 4 p.m.
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| The exhibit
is a display of pewter from the collections of Joseph Henson,
Chambersburg, formerly of Greencastle. The exhibit includes very early
pieces from the 1700's up to the early 20th century and pewter
owned by five Greencastle-Antrim families and Greencastle's Bethel
American Methodist Episcopal Church.
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| Pewter, during the 18th century, was the predominate metal used in the everyday lives of the common household. Every person's life, from beginning to end, was influenced by pewter utensils of all kinds that were used for eating, drinking, and serving. |
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A variety of other items also made of pewter included bottles, candlesticks, lamps, buttons, buckles and even bedpans and bleeding cups, and snuff boxes. |
| Pewter in the 1700's was an alloy of approximately 90% tin with copper, antimony and/or bismuth added for strength. Sometimes lead (which was considered to make a poor quality of pewter) was added to the molten metal to stretch the tin supply and for increased workability. When newly made, pewter shined like silver, but with use took on its more familiar pewter patina, as we think of it today. Easily dented, bent and melted, pewter was called "poor man's silver", "lay metal", and "tzinn". In spite of these characteristics, those who owned pewter also treasured, used, collected, displayed, and cared for it as they did their other prized possessions. Although it was affordable for the common people, the pewterer took great pride in the craftsmanship and artistry expressed in each piece. | ||
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Pewter because of its high tin content is susceptible to pewter disease. To prevent pitting and holes, pewter should be kept at room temperature at all times. Cold temperatures cause the tin to crystallize, which in turn begins the degeneration process in the pewter. | |
| England controlled everything that was sent to the colonies for purchase, including pewter. England either owned or controlled all the tin mines and did not permit raw tin to be exported to the colonies. Because of this, only finished pieces were available for export to the colonies and purchase. |
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| This did not prevent pewterers from establishing businesses in the colonies. Because pewter was a "soft" metal (easily dented and bent), it wore out with use about every eight to ten years and could be recast into a new piece. Tin was very valuable and the old pewter from England retained up to 70% of its original value. From Early American Life, October 2001, "In Philadelphia pewterer William Will's inventory, for instance, old pewter was valued at 16 cents per pound, finished work at 25 cents per pound, making for a narrow margin of profit." Because a lot of pewter was recycled about every ten years, there are very few pieces of "old" pre-Revolutionary pewter that have survived. | ||
| Most often, up to 1807, pewter was cast in pre-heated, two-piece brass molds. |
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More complicated designs (body, base, handle, lid, decoration, hinges) required more than two casting molds increasing the cost for the pewterer and the buyer. |
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The multi-piece article would be cast, body and base assembled by soldering, and then finished by turning on a lathe. The handle, lid, and hinge would then be applied. | |
| The variety of pieces in a
pewterer's finished inventory could be increased by carefully planning the
mixing and matching of individual parts. For example, tankard lids could
become sugar bowl lids or chalice bases. Most surviving spoons today were
made between 1800 and 1900. Pre-1800 American pewter is usually not
marked.
Pewterers, like other craftsmen, studied, practiced, and learned their trade for many years under masters in their field. |
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Compiled by Bonnie A. Shockey
Resources: "The Will Family Pewterers",
Early American Life, October 2001
Thomas B. Steiger, Jr., oral presentation on January 10, 2001