History of Pewter Plates

Simple shapes and designs are fundamental qualities of pewter plates and tableware.

Pewter is a metal alloy used for decorative arts and domestic wares since ancient times. To make pewter, artisans melted tin and added small amounts of other metals such as copper, antimony, bismuth or lead to create a harder and more malleable metal. Pewter came into widespread use in 14th century-England, where it was predominately used for church ornaments. Gradually, pewter started to replace the wooden cups and plates on the tables of affluent British families. By the mid-17th century, pewter was high-style tableware favored by all who could afford it.

British Pewter

England starting setting standards for the pewter trade in the mid-15th century. In 1473, the Worshipful Company of Pewterers, a trade guild, was created to ensure the quality of pewter goods. Styles of pewter tableware followed styles of silver, and collectors often use the shape of a pewter plate and the width and style of the rim to date a piece. Early pewter plates from the mid-17th century are almost flat with shallow indented centers and plain, wide rims. Later designs have more elaborate and decorative rims, and more deeply indented centers.

American Pewter

British colonists who settled in America during the 17th century brought their appreciation for pewter with them. Early pewter pieces in the colonies were mostly British imports. American tradesmen had no access to native sources of tin, and Britain refused to export any raw material in the hope of keeping control of the pewter trade. The only opportunity to cast new pieces came from melting down imports. However, the American Revolution open the doors to more trade of raw materials, and from 1780-1880, the American pewter trade flourished.

Simple Designs

American pewter plates were generally simpler and smaller than British imports. Single-bead pewter plates decorated with one thin strip of molding around the edges were the favored design. Well-off households often owned a garnish of pewter or a collection of tableware, that included chargers, or individual trays used under pewter dinner plates. Pewter tableware can sometimes be dated by the maker's trademark or touchmark. However, not all makers stamped their pieces, and some marks have worn away with time.

Changing Technology

Pewter designs remained static because of the technology used to create them. Pieces were cast by pouring molten pewter into costly bronze or brass molds. Pewterers made the most of their investments by using the same molds year after year. However, the 19th century brought two major changes to the pewter trade. Britannia, a new alloy made of tin, antimony and three percent copper was developed. Britannia was harder and shinier than earlier alloys that contained lead and could be worked harder. Around the same time a method of production called spinning was invented. Britannia was spun into large thin sheets and then placed over forms on a spinning lathe and forced into shapes.

Pewter's Popularity Fades

Spinning allowed pewterers to create new forms and designs, but it was too little too late. By the mid-19th century, electroplating, a process that allowed metal workers to apply a thin layer of silver to base metals like copper or even Britannia was developed. The demand for silver-plated tableware quickly surpassed the demand for pewter. Porcelain and glass, which also saw significant improvements in production, also claimed a huge share of the pewter market. Pewter plates and tableware gradually disappeared until the latter half of the 20th century when interest from collectors created a new market for antiques and reproductions.

References

• Gregorylefever.com: Early Petwer Tableware
• Quinnipac: A Marketing History of American Pewter
• Pewterers: The Worshipful Company of Pewters
• Google: Home Life in Colonial Days
• Pewter Bank: Marks on Pewter Plates