By Tim Lambert
Pewter was an alloy of tin and lead (although today lead is no longer used. Modern pewter is made of tin, antimony and copper). The earliest known pewter was made in Egypt in about 1,500 BC. The Romans also made pewter.
In the Middle Ages, pewter was used by the Church and the rich. It was not as valuable as silver but was far too expensive for ordinary people. By about 1348, the Pewterers’ guild was formed in London. Its job was to maintain standards of work among pewterers. In 1474, King Edward IV gave it a royal charter. It became the Worshipful Company of Pewterers, and it had the power to maintain standards and govern the industry across England.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, England became richer, and pewter became more common. The middle classes owned pewter dishes, tankards, cutlery, and plates. Pewter was also used to make candlesticks. Pewter was also one of England’s most important exports.
In 1503, a law in England made it compulsory for pewterers to mark their work. The mark was called a touchmark. It might be a symbol, but sometimes it was the pewterer’s initials.
Pewter dishes, tankards, and spoons were found on the wreck of the Mary Rose, which sank in 1545. Barber-surgeons’ syringes were made of pewter because they sometimes contained corrosive metals like mercury, but pewter does not corrode easily. Syringe nozzles were brass because it’s a harder metal than pewter, needed for the delicate tip. It also resists corrosion. (However, brass was more expensive, so it was cheaper to make the body of the syringe from pewter).
In the mid-17th century, some pewterers began adding antimony as a hardening agent instead of lead. In 1769, James Vickers, of Sheffield, added even more antimony. He created an alloy called Britannia metal. Traditionally, pewter was cast in moulds, but Vickers found his alloy could be made into sheets. It could then be cut and shaped by hand. Pieces could be soldered together. His discovery made pewter cheaper.
However, in the 19th century, pewter became less common as china and glass took over. Yet, pewter was still used for decorative objects. Designer, Archibald Knox (1860-1933) was famous for designing objects of pewter and silver.
In the 20th century, pewter underwent a revival. The Association of British Pewter Craftsmen was formed in 1970. During the following decade, the use of lead in pewter was phased out.
In the 21st century, pewter goods are popular gifts.
