What is pewter?

Pewter alloy is made of tin, bismuth, antimony, and some- times copper or silver, depending on the alloy your artisan has selected for a specific item. Colonial pewter often contained lead to give it strength. Lead causes old pewter to turn it's characteristic dark gray color. Lead free pewter softens to a very light gray patina. Today, pewter contains no lead. It is completely food safe. Be sure to ask your pewtersmith what alloy is used to make your product. How is pewter made? In Colonial America, artisans made pewter articles in three ways; by melting pewter alloy and casting it in molds, by hammering a flat piece of metal into a shape, and by turning on a lathe. A pewtersmith might have also combined the methods, to suit the type of piece or the result desired. The pewter artisan made his own molds and was, therefore, considered an artist rather than a mechanic giving form to designs of others. The pewtersmith's mold repeats the perfection or shortcomings of the original form. ...  more

Pewter alloy is made of tin, bismuth, antimony, and some- times copper or silver, depending on the alloy your artisan has selected for a specific item. Colonial pewter often contained lead to give it strength. Lead causes old pewter to turn it's characteristic dark gray color. Lead free pewter softens to a very light gray patina. Village Pewter, LLC uses a lead free pewter alloy of tin, antimony and copper, that meets the requirements of the newly enacted Consumer Protection Safety Improvement Act of 2008. It is completely food safe. It is always wise to ask your pewtersmith what alloy was used to make your pewter product. How is pewter made? In Colonial America, artisans made pewter articles in three ways; by melting pewter alloy and casting it in molds, by hammering a flat piece of metal into a shape, and by turning on a lathe. A pewtersmith might have also combined the methods, to suit the type of piece or the result desired. The pewter artisan made his own molds and was, ...  more

Pewter is an alloy made by mixing copper with tin. In what is sometimes called fine pewter the ratio of tin to copper is 13 parts copper to 56 parts of tin. Which approaches the maximum amount of copper absorbable by tin. However, fine pewter is relatively rare and the exact mixture will matter little to the collector. All the forms of pewter discussed below are hard, white in color, are easily burnished and retain their polish despite frequent use and handling. Nearly all pewter contains antimony as well. There are types of pewter particularly popular in the making of decorative plates and tea sets that contain little or no copper but a high level of antimony. Antimony creates very hard alloys that are noted for their clear sound. Antimony is a common material in the making of bells. Pewter that contains a good deal of antimony has been called bell pewter or Pembertons alloy. In some cases brass, another alloy is used in place of copper. Some purists refuse to call this material ...  more

Pewter is an alloyed metal made primarily from tin, with a small component of lead, copper, bismuth, or antimony. It has been traditionally used to make tableware and decorative items. The metal is highly ductile, meaning that it can easily be worked, embossed, or carved. The malleable nature of pewter has been harnessed for thousands of years, at least since Roman times, and the metal was at one point highly prized. Tin is the metal which appears in the highest concentration in pewter. Most pewter uses at least 90% tin, although other alloys may use as little as 63% tin. The other metals in the alloy are used as hardeners, to make pewter practical for daily use and metalworking. Classically, pewter has been cast in molten form, although it has also been worked in other ways. Pewter is also highly tarnish resistant, although it does form a protective patina with age. In color, pewter starts out glossy and bright, almost like silver. Over time, the metal oxidizes and acquires a ...  more

Pewter is an alloy that consists mainly of tin, with smaller amounts of copper and antimony added in desired proportions. The proportion of tin in pewter may be as high as ninety per cent. About two to eight per cent antimony and three per cent copper may be added to increase its hardness and its strengthening properties. Earlier, pewter also contained lead. Lead, however, caused tarnishing and had a tendency to poison food. Such an alloy was subsequently replaced by non-lead pewter called Britannia metal. Pewter has a white, metallic color resembling silver and a finish that can vary from dull to highly polished. Articles made of pewter need to be handled carefully because it is a soft alloy that can dent easily.  more

Pewter is an alloy or mixture of metals that can contain various percentages of tin, lead, antimony, bismuth, copper or silver. The best pewter or "Fine Pewter" contains at least 92% tin and no lead. Antimony and bismuth add varying degrees of strength and/or hardness. It is sad to note that some low grade pewters contain as much as 80% lead. These are to be avoided, especially if the pewter will be used in contact with food or beverages. Heritage PewterTM is high grade "Fine Pewter" which is lead-free. All of the products in this site are fine pewter.  more

" It's a good question, one of which the answer to has changed many times over the centuries. Pewter is an alloy.....that part of the answer has not changed over the years, but the contents of the alloy has. An alloy is a mixture of natural elements, which permanently change the properties of those elements. Once combined, the mixture is renamed, almost as if a new element was formed. Examples of non-alloy metals which are natural elements: gold silver tin to name a few. These metals are found in nature "as is" so to speak and contain no other ingredients. (exceptions may occur in the jewelry industry.) Metal alloys, however, contain two or more ingredients, which after combining with each other, form a new metal. Often it takes on new characteristics, such as color, density, higher or lower melting points, weight, etc. Examples of metal alloys are: Pewter - tin, antimony, bismuth, copper, lead Bronze - copper and tin Brass - copper and zinc Pewter, depending on its use, can be made ...

Throughout it's long history pewter has had an almost infinite variety of compositions, even today there are still numerous varieties produced. Through time the only common factor is a relatively high tin content which is hardened by additions of other elements. The main properties of tin that are exploited by pewter are the low melting point, good casting properties and appearance, pure tin is too soft to be of use. Many European languages make no distinction between pewter and tin for example in French étain is the same word for both. This may appear strange and certainly makes for some interesting conversations, it's a bit like having the same word for bronze and copper, but equally given the large range of compositions and the factor that tin is the main ingredient you can see the logic. Pewter's low melting point has always made it ideal for working with minimal equipment, ideal for the small workshop and great for creativity. If it all goes wrong its very easy to melt it down ...  more

Pewter is composed of several gray alloys of Tin with a small amount of Copper to harden it. It is malleable and does not tarnish. Our figurines are made from "lead free" Pewter which can be classified as American Fine Pewter. The fact that there is no lead gives the figurines a finer appearance and actually adds to the quality of each piece. All of the fine designs are first carved in wax by the artist, then cast in Bronze. The figurines are then reproduced in fine Pewter and finished by hand by skilled craftsmen. The finishing touch for many of the figurines is the addition of Austrian Crystal Gems and Prisms which add light and color.  more

Danforth pewter is made of the finest lead-free alloy of tin, copper and antimony. The tin imparts a fine sheen and malleability. Over time and with use, your pewter will develop a wonderful patina. Due to the high quality of pewter alloy we use, Danforth pewter contains no lead and therefore is safe for food and drink, meeting or exceeding FDA food safety standards. Bon Appetit! • Pewter will last for generations if cared for properly. • Many collectors feel that pewter benefits from handling as it develops a distinctive, warm patina the more it is used. • Though certain conditions will cause pewter to oxidize and darken, pewter does not tarnish like silver and copper. Pewter can be cleaned with warm soapy water, rinsed, then towel dried with a soft cloth. Do not wash pewter in an automatic dishwasher as the heat and detergent can be harmful to the piece. • There are various pewter cleaners and polishes available to maintain your pewter. Danforth recommends and sells Mish pewter ...