This is Throwback Thursday #129. In these, we look back into the past at ESCONI specifically and Earth Science in general. If you have any contributions, (science, pictures, stories, etc ...), please sent them to [email protected]. Thanks!
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The following is an article about working with pewter. It featured Paul Hoalt and Bob Johnson ESCONI members who were instructors at the Lizzadro Museum in Elmhurst, IL. Paul was later president of ESCONI in 1979 and 1980. In the past, ESCONI was into many other aspects of the Earth Sciences, including lapidary and metallurgy. We will highlight some pewter bola ties and trilobite pins in the future.
Here is an announcement for a class held Paul and Bob at the Lizzadro Museum.
This article was written by Doris Kemp (also an ESCONI member) and appeared in the April 1976 edition of Lapidary Journal.
PEWTER THE UTILITARIAN AND DECORATIVE METAL
By Doris Kemp
Lizzardo Museum of Lapidary Art 220 Cottage Hill, Elmhurst, Illinois 60126
PHOTOGRAPHS BY RUSSELL KEMP
Working with pewter is becoming more and more popular with craftsmen, partly because they wish to work in many medias and partly due to the high costs of silver and gold. In past years pewter may have earned an unsavory reputation because of its lead content and the hazard of lead to human health. Until the second half of the 18th Century, pewter usually contained a high proportion of lead, some times as much as 50 percent with the other 50 percent being tin. Other grayish alloys of tin and antimony and tin and copper, the proportion of the tin being just over 80 percent, were also used. This is no longer the case since modern pewter is an alloy composed largely of grade A tin with small additions of antimony, bismuth, and copper. The best grades contain no lead.
Paul Hoalt's white metal roses are made in sections and soldered together.
"Pewter has played an important part in the development of civilization, both as a medium for artistic expression and as a material from which domestic utensils were fashioned," wrote the historians of pewter, B. M. Osburn and G. O. Wilbur.
The Chinese, historians tell us, were probably the first to use the metal alloy some 2000 or more years ago. The New York Metropolitan Museum had on exhibit in 1966, a collection of Chinese pewter that showed items from 1500 B.C. to 1250 A.D. Displayed were weapons, small animals, talleys, cosmetics boxes, mirrors, jewelry, garment buckles and such, some of which were ornamented with jade, turquoise, glass, crystal and pearls. There is no character in the Chinese written language for "pewter." Ideographs for "white metal" or "mixed metal" were sufficient, and these covered almost everything from lead to silver or from tin to white bronze, whether of hard or soft alloy.
Mrs. Kemp admires the work of Paul Hoalt, a pewter expert who is an instructor at the Lizzadro Schoo! of Lapidary Art in Elmhurst.
The fused and molded pewter pendants by Paul Hoalt are modern in design, and are set with freeform baroque stones.
Possibly the most ancient pieces of pewter known is the tin "pilgrim bottle" of Abydos, in Egypt, dating from about 1500 B.C. Certainly it is well-established that pewter metal was used extensively in Roman times and continued to be so used for nearly 2000 years. The composition of early Roman pewterware was variable, but it commonly contained as much as 20 to 30 percent lead and this high content rendered a toxicity which was undesirable for drinking vessels or for liquid measures. The high lead content also caused pewter to tarnish readily and to blacken with age which gave rise to the image of pewter as a "dull gray metal."
Pliny wrote in the 1st Century A.D., that a tin vessel improved the taste of wine, and this is still recognized today be cause a contemporary use of pewter is for decanters and wine goblets. By the 14th Century A.D., pewter was widely used in place of wood and pottery for tableware and for other utilitarian purposes.
Wine goblets, like these belonging to Mildred Gilmore, are popular among antique and modern items made of pewter.
Pewter is known in the history and cultures of many countries of the world and some, like the Dutch, date back into the 14th Century. The 17th Century was the time of the Golden Age of the Nether lands, during which time pewter was used for hollow-ware vessels, dedicated to the quenching of thirst. Other countries like France, Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Scandinavia, Channel Islands, England and Scotland, each had its own historic event of the use of pewter alloys. Usually in every large town in each country, there were pewterers and each country had tin deposits or they imported it from nearby sources. Each country's craftsmen had made marks which helped identify the antique pieces. When these are purchased now, from a reputable dealer, the pieces have labels or tags telling of the authenticity of the origin of the work. There is also pewter from Russia and Spain, but their work is not as prominent as from other countries.
The Oriental countries of course have been producing pewterware and some of these decorative pieces have inlay of brass and copper which is not found in the European pewterware.
Commercially made pendants and other items of pewter can be found in many gift and craft shops, and are being especially featured for the Bicentennial year.
The earliest records of a medieval craft guild of pewterers in Europe indicate that such an association existed in the Bordeaux region of France in the 11th Century. During the next three or four centuries, other guilds sprang up throughout Europe, as craftsmen banded together to protect their craft secrets and to uphold production standards. There were many disciplines imposed on the members of the guilds and in 1503 an Act of Parliament in London, required that the touch marks recorded on pewter were to be registered and kept in the Halls of the Guild. The use of the touchmark on a product served as a safeguard for the craftsman and gave the public confidence in the quality of the product. The modern Pewter Associations have also adopted the device of touchmarks or as we know them, trademarks. They appear on literature and labels, as well as being stamped on individual pewterware. Another concern of the Pewter Associations is to regulate the purity of their alloys and to standardize the composition of modern pewter alloys.
This gleaming Paul Hoalt pendant is made with a soldered bezel and set with a star rose quartz cabochon.
In Britain, which had a native source of tin in the mines of Cornwall, the craft of the pewterer reached a very high level and British pewter was the model for the fine pewter produced in America in the 18th and early 19th Centuries.
In the middle of the 18th Century, a fine pewter with a bright finish was developed in Britain. It was an alloy of tin with a small quantity of antimony and copper. It was stronger than the old pewter and was more silvery in color and kept its luster and polish longer. It was first known as Sheffield plate and is still used for decorative work and sometimes for jewelry, but it is known now as Britannia metal, with a composition of about 91 percent tin, 7 percent antimony, 2 percent copper, and no lead.
The history of pewter in America begins in the very early years of colonization. Most of the domestic pewter utensils of that time were products of English industry. Reports have indicated that pewter craftsmen here, had produced pieces soon after 1640; however, it has been said that no pieces produced in America before 1700, can be positively identified by date.
During the early 17th Century, there was a strong demand for pewterware. This was the time of the First American Pewter Era and a vast array of domestic articles were created and used. However, with the introduction of inexpensive porcelain wares American pewter production began to decline. It was then that most of the companies and craftsmen producing pewter retired from business or went into other areas of manufacturing.
Shortly after the beginning of the 20th Century, there was a revival of interest in antique pewter and antique reproductions, as well as new designs that were developed.
These belt buckles have hammered textur ing and are trimmed with soldered overlay designs.
Modern pewterware, as we know it, is considered to have originated in the Netherlands in the early days of this century, from where it spread throughout Europe and North America. This modern variety is in demand along with the other countries' productions because the Americans have such varied taste in the types of furnishings in their homes.
A pendant with overlay designs set with turquoise by Paul Hoalt, is reminiscent of silver Indian jewelry.
In 1959, the American Pewter Guild was founded to maintain the historic as well as the commercial value of pewter products. The Guild was established for its members' high standards of quality and craftsmanship for pewterware. At its inception, the Guild developed these standards to ensure a quality of pewter which would enable the modern product to become once again a favorite house hold item as it was during the American Colonial period.
Consistent with the increasing production of pewter by modern manufacturing methods, was the desire of home crafts men to use pewter as a medium for artistic expression and as a material from which functional pieces can be formed. Many of these modern craftsmen have retained the theme of earlier masters in retaining the bold, simple lines which make pewterware unique. Still others favor ingenuity in form and proportion, or textural differences in cast pieces.
Spun pewter plates and vases are suitable for either period or contemporary decor.
Pewter exceeds most other metals in ductility. The copper in its composition provides this ductility and working properties. The antimony gives the whiteness to the color and adds hardness. This pewter alloy can be stretched, compressed, hammered, and bent into desired shapes. It does not work harden and therefore, does not need to be annealed. Other techniques that can be applied to pewter are casting, chasing, embossing, soldering (using pewter solder), etching, oxidizing. engraving, and a finished item can be electro-plated to preserve the finish. All of these techniques are similar to those of silversmithing. Because of the low melting point of pewter, the material is easy to mend or recast and these reasons made it popular as a material for tableware and tankards. In years past it has been used in jewelry making but usually it was cast in designs with no stones, and, if stones were used as decoration, they were paste or stones of little value.
In the past most pewter was produced by casting or by hand hammering, where as today the spinning technique is one of the major production methods. The starting material, which is 92 percent tin, 6 percent antimony and 2 percent copper. is in a disk or cylinder shape which is put on a lathe. An operator uses special forming tools to manipulate the metal as it is spinning. In some designs the spun items are made in sections and soldered together and accessory items such as handles and hinges are attached by soldering.
A mellow, hammered surface and a contrasting dark handle accent this polished pewter.
The casting method of making pewter products is still in production and many of the appendages such as handles, spouts and other ornamentations are usually cast and then soldered to the main pieces. Several casting techniques are employed and the mold or dies are of various materials such as iron, clay or sand. Pressure die casting forces the molten metal into the metal die. Centrifugal casting forces the molten metal into rubber molds and is used mostly when making small items. Both of these techniques produce fine castings with few air or hollow spots in the surfaces. Sand casting does not re quire as much equipment and is used usually where large production is not required, but these castings tend to not be as refined as the pressure or centrifugal methods.
This softly glowing porringer and service dish feature lacy openwork trim.
When modeling in pewter, sheet or foil of a very thin gauge material is used and a glass rod rounded on one end is used to form the design. A soft surface is used so that the foil will be pressed downward and the finished work will be shown after the sheet is turned over. The modeled sheet design can then be glued to a wooden backing and may become book ends, jewelry boxes or any sort of other decorative items. This technique is often used in copper sheet work.
By hammering the surface of a specific size and shape piece of medium gauge sheet pewter, a variety of shapes can be made. The process is called beating down, and this will produce a shallow tray or dish type item. The metal is laid on a flat hardwood stake and the planishing hammer is used to strike the blows. The piece is rotated around the stake until the de sired shape is attained. A rim may be made around the tray and when finished the entire piece should have evenly placed hammer marks. A wooden form which has been hollowed out to the shape de sired in the tray may be used to hammer the metal into and the metal will form the shape of the wood when it is finished.
The term raising is used in pewter metal craft and this process can be achieved by using a sandbag made of leather or can vas. When starting with a disk of pewter which is placed over the center of the sandbag, a beating down with a rounded mallet is started. As the blows are made the work will begin to assume a bowl like shape. When the shape is finished it is placed over a polished metal stake and the outer surface of the bowl is then hammered with a planishing hammer. The entire outer surface is covered with closely placed hammer marks.
Another method of raising can be achieved by using a series of wooden blocks that have depressions of progressive depth. A disk is worked into each depressed block until the desired bowl shape is evident. Then the outer surface is planished to give the hammer marked surface that shows it has been handcrafted.
In these pieces from the Gilmore collec tion, the cast legs and solid handles are later soldered to the main body.
Simple lines such as these graceful pitchers make outstanding collector's items among pewter pieces.
The hinges and handles are soldered on after the chief portions of the spun pewter items are made.
To chase a design in a surface, a group of tools with a variety of tips are used with a chasing hammer. The flat metal is laid on a smooth hard steel surface, so that during the tapping, the piece will stay flat, which is in contrast to the raising process which is done on a sandbag surface. The chasing tools are tapped as they are firmly held and moved along the lines of a pattern that has been lightly drawn on the surface. Straight edged tools make the lines while curved edged tools are used to follow designs made up of units that curve that may or may not connect. When all the chasing is done and some small domed areas are desired, then the piece should be laid front side down, on a lead block and the knob shaped tools tapped at the spot that is to be domed, or raised. Care should be taken not to disturb the flat surface of the piece. Chasing adds a very decorative design to any ornate piece.
To engrave a design in pewter, a medium to thick gauge sheet is used. The engraving tools are worked along the lines of a design and they actually remove fine particles of the metal. The surface of the item should have been entirely finished and polished before the engraving is started. Engraving is a technique not used by many artisans as it is a very delicate procedure and requires a steady hand and good control of the tools.
Pierce sawing is the process used to make the lacy-patterned or openwork de sign seen in handcrafted handles of porringers and bases of compotes. This work is done with a jewelers saw blade which is inserted in holes that have been drilled in a corner of an area that is to be re moved. The saw blade is threaded through the hole and attached to the saw frame then the sawing procedure follows the drawn pattern of the design. This is done in each of the areas to produce the open work effect. Filing is done with small varied shaped files to remove the saw blade marks and this is followed by sand ing the edges with fine paper and then polishing with small buffs and red rouge. The filing, sanding, and buffing should be done to all exposed edges around a bowl or tray or whatever item is being made. A point to mention here is that pewter will contaminate silverwork so the work area must be kept clear of pewter filings. When working in both silver and pewter, a separate set of tools, such as files, should be used for each metal.
The soldering of pewter is done with 60-40 tin-lead solder, or 63-37 which is the lowest melting tin-lead solder. It flows the best and is higher in tin content so it gives a better color match to pewter. A propane torch is used with small flame and a very sharp tip. A pewter flux, 1 oz, glycerine to 7 drops of hydrochloric acid, is applied to the areas to be joined. A tight fit is essential and the surfaces must be clean. The snippets of solder are applied with the brush you use for the flux, placing them about a quarter-inch apart down the seam area. The flame is played on the fluxed area and the torch is kept moving, as you carefully watch for the solder to flow. When it does flow, the torch is pulled away. There are very good books available which go into the soldering technique and they should be consulted before attempting to do this work.
Pewter candlesticks and covered service dishes help make the Gilmore table elegant, along with many other tables in America.
Regardless of the technique used to create a piece of pewterware, there are various methods used to give interesting finishes and textures. A satin finish is the most popular and this is done by lightly applying a brass brush or an abrasive cloth to the surface of the article. A fine grit cloth is used to give a satin mat finish. If a bright finish is desired, a buff is used with jeweler's rouge or tripoli. The spun pewter can be brought to a high luster by polishing with a mixture of equal parts of No. FF pumice and No. F emery, mixed with sufficient machine oil to keep down the dust, but not to be too sticky. If an antique type finish is desired in modern pewterware, this can be given a chemical treatment.
Often in pewter pieces the relief work is in contrast to the background because a patina has been applied. The contrast is created by using 50 m. of nitric acid, 2.5 grams of copper sulfate and 1 liter of water. This mixture is painted on the desired surface which is then washed and dried. High spots on the design are lightly burnished or buffed, to give the contrasting appearance. Different colors of patina can be achieved by using different chemical formulas.
Now that we know some of the history of pewter, the composition of the different types of pewter, and some of the techniques used in the production of pewterware, we shall learn about some of the objects made of this metal.
Pewter is an eminently suitable material from which to drink; the metal is pleasing to touch and elegant in appearance. For the wine lover, there is today available not only whole ranges of sizes of goblets, in a variety of designs, but also matching decanters, carafes, ice buckets, and trays to complete the ensemble.
Tankards, or "pots" as they are colloquially called, are greatly prized by beer drinkers of all nations, the different countries having distinguished varieties with many features. These are available in both the antique and modern versions.
There are innumerable styles and sizes of pitchers, tea pots, coffee pots, cups, beakers, sugar and creamers, bowls, compotes, trays, plates, serving dishes with covers, salt and pepper shakers, tableware, platters of all sizes, and decorative items such as candle holders, vases, lamps, and measuring containers. All of these pieces are sought after by collectors and also just for normal use around the home.
Professional and amateur artists alike have developed many beautiful pieces of pewterware and the amateur has found this metal to be very satisfactory in making jewelry. Some of the current crafts men have developed unique ways of mounting gemstones in outstandingly designed jewelry. Paul Hoalt and Bob Johnson, instructors at the Lizzadro School of Lapidary Art, Elmhurst, IL, have shown many students their methods of doing what they call "puttering with pewter."
Timeless Colonial and American designs are used for table items like salt and pepper sets and condiment dishes.
These men are also members of the Earth Science Club of Northern Illinois (ESCONI), and have held their "puttering with pewter" sessions at the Lapidary Study Group meetings of ESCONI and other clubs as well. These meetings have been very well attended and everyone who participates will have sawed a small item from pewter, chased a few lines on it, hammered it into some curves, and polished it to a nice finish and end up with a little charm or a pendant. Paul and Bob have also held these sessions at club shows in the Chicagoland area and many people have been exposed to the working advantages of pewter.
The tankard is a favorite pewter container for beer. Spoons and measure are also pewter.
Paul and Bob have devised a simple method of soldering a bezel to a flat base by applying the flux, and the solder, then laying it on the bottom of an electric fry pan with the heat set at 375°F. The heat will penetrate the base and soon the solder will flow. Due to the various compositions of the solders, the degree of melting point could vary so the temperature may have to be set up to approximately 385° F. One must experiment to find the proper degree for the material used, but remember that pewter melts at 450°F. The pendant was given a few chased lines to add design quality and it was domed slightly. A lovely star rose quartz cabochon was set in the bezel. Novel belt buckles with overlay designs soldered in place have been made in this manner. The under layer of the illustrated overlay pendant was oxidized to give contrast and the design is similar to some of the American Indian jewelry we see today.
A sheet of carefully formed and bent pewter surrounds and complements a shining natural crystal cluster of hessonite garnet from Canada, creating an unusual pendant by author, Doris Kemp.
Another type of pewter jewelry was made by Paul from a mold that had a wax form for the design. The forms are made by melting paraffin and slowly pouring it into cold water. As the paraffin hardens some water can be spooned over the form to help bring about the desired shape. Pour one-eighth inch of paraffin in the bottom of a plastic container then set the wax form on this layer of almost hardened paraffin. Standard plaster of paris is mixed with water and poured into the container, filling only so that the wax form is securely covered. After the plaster is hardened it is removed from the container and the layer of wax which is on the bottom is removed by peeling it away and the wax form is removed by melting it out with the torch. The casting pewter is then melted and poured into the cavity in the plaster, which is the shape of the wax form and is the mold. The pewter casting can be removed by tapping on the back of the mold. To brighten the pewter form, it can be put in a pickling solution for a few seconds. Stones can be glued into the cavities in the pewter form and a hole drilled to hold a jump ring and a very nice pendant can be made in this fashion, as shown in one of the illustrations. By fusing scrap pieces of pewter many interesting forms can also be made which will accommodate baroque shaped stones.
The heart on the right is sterling silver, while the one on the left, looking almost identical is pewter. Both are set with amethyst.
An interesting picture in this group, shows two hearts with identical hammered surfaces, set with identical amethyst cabochons. One is pewter, the other is sterling silver. When holding them side by side it is very difficult to tell which is which and in the picture, the pewter is on the left. These are very simple solderless prong set stones, and pewter works up well with this method. Mr. Hoalt really has fun asking his audience to guess which is which metal.
Roses constructed in several sections were made by Paul and these dress pins are quite attractive. The same technique could produce some novel home decorative pieces made with roses of pewter set into or arranged on a rock base.
Because pewter is so ductile, I found it easy to form 18 gauge sheet in interesting positions around a natural crystal cluster. The pendant which is illustrated features natural hessonite garnet crystals from Canada.
Another friend of mine, Harry Peter son from Elmhurst, Illinois is a marvelous and outstanding silversmith. This man has done countless pieces of exquisite jewelry and large service pieces and novelties. His work has taken prizes all over the Chicagoland area in the gem and jewelry shows. He also was an instructor for the Lizzadro School of Lapidary Art and has had a series of articles with patterns which were run in the Lapidary Journal. He has been working in pewter also and has produced outstanding pieces, some which are duplicates of his silver design jewelry. He has used many techniques in working pewter and has been successful in repairing some irreplaceable pieces which is a rare accomplishment.
There are, in gift shops, many interesting pewter cast novelty items and jewelry. Such an item is a clever trio of owls, cast in pewter with fine detail clearly seen. Regardless of your taste in metals a piece of pewter should be in your collection.
Care of pewter should be mentioned as this will help preserve your collection. Pewter pieces should never be washed in a dishwasher or washed with strong dish water compounds. Modern pewter seldom requires more than a simple washing in a mild soap or detergent solution, drying thoroughly and polishing with a soft cloth. The older pewter may show darkening of the surface and a gray film may resist removal by normal washing, so in this case a little silver or pewter polish may be used to remove the film. Then wash and dry with a soft cloth. Heavy dark films may only be removed by a buffing wheel and tripoli, but considerable metal is removed in this manner and decorative effects may be impaired. Never use hard abrasives or steel wool on your pewter.
Many people are concerned about using pewter in their homes, and hesitate eating from pewterware. This concern is only justified if you have some of the very ancient pieces that did contain a high percentage of lead. The modern pewter does not have any lead in its composition so is perfectly safe to use for food or drink. It could be said that pewter was the poor man's silver, but it is a 20th Century treasure. Do add some pewter to your home and wear some of the lovely jewelry; you will receive compliments and can be proud of your purchase or your craft work.
Some of the information for this article was obtained from the publications Number 494, "Modern Pewter," and Number M-176, "Pewter Craftsmanship," published by the Tin Research Institute, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. I appreciate their per mission to use information from those two books. There are many books avail able which will give you the story of pewter from the early beginning up to the modern uses and methods of production. I would recommend:
"American Pewter" published by Bonanza Books. "Collecting American Pewter" by Katherine Ebert, published by Charles Scribner's Sons, New York.
"National Types of Old Pewter" by Howard Herschel Cotterel, Adolphe Riff and Robert M. Vetter, published by Weathervane Books.
"Modern Pewter, Design and Techniques, by Shirley Charron, published by Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, New York.
