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Pewter and Britannia
Pewter, a soft gray tin alloy, was used for implements and tableware by the ancient Romans, as well as by the Chinese and Japanese. Its popularity rose in Europe in the Middle Ages, when it was commonly used for tableware, replacing clay and wood. From the 14th century, England was the major manufacturer and exporter of pewter goods. American craftsmen began working with pewter prior to 1700 but had no local source of tin. England heavily taxed (and, for some time, embargoed) tin shipments to the United States before the Revolutionary War, so pewterers here had to fashion their wares by reworking damaged English pieces.
By the late 1700s, pewter’s popularity was waning. Newer, cheaper ceramics and shiny, silver-plated wares were attracting consumers. At the time, pewter was made of tin, copper, lead, zinc, and bismuth. Pewterers discovered that omitting the lead and adding antimony made a stronger, harder, shinier alloy. The new metal was called Britannia, and it seemed destined to revive the dying pewter market. While it infused new life into the pewtering industry, Britannia couldn’t compete with creamware, pearlware, and electroplate silver. So by the time of the Civil War, the industry died out.
Even with Britannia’s higher shine, it is often confused with regular pewter. Neither Britannia nor pewter is necessarily more valuable than the other—value depends more on the particular item. American-made Britannia and pewter pieces are several times more valuable than English-made products, largely because fewer American works exist. Otherwise, prices for Britannia and pewter are determined by scarcity, age, condition, and the presence or absence of a maker’s stamp.
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By the late 1700s, pewter’s popularity was waning. Newer, cheaper ceramics and shiny, silver-plated wares were attracting consumers. At the time, pewter was made of tin, copper, lead, zinc, and bismuth. Pewterers discovered that omitting the lead and adding antimony made a stronger, harder, shinier alloy. The new metal was called Britannia, and it seemed destined to revive the dying pewter market. While it infused new life into the pewtering industry, Britannia couldn’t compete with creamware, pearlware, and electroplate silver. So by the time of the Civil War, the industry died out.
Even with Britannia’s higher shine, it is often confused with regular pewter. Neither Britannia nor pewter is necessarily more valuable than the other—value depends more on the particular item. American-made Britannia and pewter pieces are several times more valuable than English-made products, largely because fewer American works exist. Otherwise, prices for Britannia and pewter are determined by scarcity, age, condition, and the presence or absence of a maker’s stamp.
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porterking |
Latest page update: made by porterking
, Jul 14 2011, 7:45 AM EDT
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