Pewter pictures and hallmarks...

[jsizemore]

The piece I posted 4 posts earlier, I don't see any fasteners holding it together. Its hard to tell whats soldered to what because if it is soldered then the manufacturer did very clean soldering work.

That's the point. The solder is the pewter. If it didn't have solder or crimp joints it would have a casting seam like Wilton or Pewterex.

[konsole]

There will be joints at the base to the bulb, the neck to the bulb and halfway up the neck at the ring detail.

The bulb and the base of the whole piece appear to be 2 separate pieces because there is a seem between them with the base of the bulb being tucked behind the base of the whole piece. However I can't make out if there is any soldering at that joint. There are some white stains that are visible at a couple spots along that joint. With the 2 rings half way up the neck, again its too difficult to tell if they are soldered to the section above and below them. When I shine a light on those rings at a certain angle I can make out a very slight change in texture in the spots that solder would be normally found if it was used. Also I shone the light down inside the neck and I could make out a raised edge or "burr" where the rings are. I also tried a magnet to see if this was iron based and it doesnt attract a magnet. It cant be aluminum because its hollow and too heavy.

After looking at it closely with the light at an angle, there appears to be a very slight texture change above, below, and in between each set of rings. There being 6 rings total which are in sets of 2.

I wonder if these people can help answer our questions?
http://www.pewtersociety.org/contact-us

[konsole]

I sent a message to that pewter society website about my vase, lets see what they say.

[xs11jack]

Just found this thread and it is fascinating. I am going start checking in my area. One thing, the site that Imashooter2 has listed as a place for 100's of hallmarks is not there anymore. Does anyone know a different reference place to go to??
Ole Jack

[imashooter2]

Just found this thread and it is fascinating. I am going start checking in my area. One thing, the site that Imashooter2 has listed as a place for 100's of hallmarks is not there anymore. Does anyone know a different reference place to go to??
Ole Jack

Keep reading and you will find a link to the site archived on The Wayback Machine.

[konsole]

imashooter2,

so what do you think the 8.75" vase I pictured on the previous page is made of? I know its hard to tell from pictures online, but what do you think based on how I have described it? It wasnt that expensive but I'd like to bring it back if its probably not pewter.

[NewbieDave007]

For $1 why don't you just melt some known pewter and then dip the top?

[imashooter2]

imashooter2,

so what do you think the 8.75" vase I pictured on the previous page is made of? I know its hard to tell from pictures online, but what do you think based on how I have described it? It wasnt that expensive but I'd like to bring it back if its probably not pewter.

From what you've said so far, it's probably pewter. But you've held a fair amount of the real deal now and you have it right in front of you... what is it about the piece that is making you hesitant?

[jsizemore]

Gotch'ya game or worried about the fortune lost.

[ncbearman]

Ok, to be clear. I know pewter is mostly tin so what is it that pewter does for our melts?

And, if we use only hallmarked, stamped pewter is that the best way to get what we need?

And one more, is all the hallmarked, stamped pewter the same content or a very close comparison?

I know over the past few years when I have had a problem with boolits filling out completely, I add 1 oz to 10 pounds without changing anything else and that problem disappears. By adding pewter, what else am I doing to my melt? Thanks.

[imashooter2]

Tin lowers surface tension and allows the alloy to flow easier, improving fill out.

Buying modern hallmarked pewter is simply the best way to be assured that the stuff you are buying is the real deal and lead free.

Pewter alloys vary, but all modern food service pewter is lead free and the vast majority is 92% or better tin with the remainder antimony and trace copper or bismuth. With the amount of tin that we typically add to casting alloys, you can just figure it as pure tin and ignore the remaining metals.

[jsizemore]

Tin will also cut down on you dross and alloy oxidation.

[ncbearman]

Tin lowers surface tension and allows the alloy to flow easier, improving fill out.

Buying modern hallmarked pewter is simply the best way to be assured that the stuff you are buying is the real deal and lead free.

Pewter alloys vary, but all modern food service pewter is lead free and the vast majority is 92% or better tin with the remainder antimony and trace copper or bismuth. With the amount of tin that we typically add to casting alloys, you can just figure it as pure tin and ignore the remaining metals.

Tin will also cut down on you dross and alloy oxidation.

Interesting. Are there any other benefits you could think of?

From the benefits listed so far it sounds like it would be beneficial to use some percentage/ratio of tin in all our casting?
Would that include casting soft lead also? Such as for black powder projectiles.
If so what percentage/ratio would you recommend?

Please, any and all that have relative information please feel free to post. Thanks!

Can you tell you guys are being interviewed? haha

[imashooter2]

Tin makes the metal more malleable as well. A good property for hollow points. I don't cast BPCR, but my understanding is they mostly use soft binary alloys in the 25:1 or 30:1 range. We have a great section here for BPCR and my advice would be to ask the experts there for solid answers.

The primary reason folks forgo tin in their alloys is cost.

[konsole]

From what you've said so far, it's probably pewter. But you've held a fair amount of the real deal now and you have it right in front of you... what is it about the piece that is making you hesitant?

well its too heavy to be aluminum, doesnt look like that RWP marked stuff, its not steel because theres no rust, and my guess is that if it was stainless then the base would be screwed on correct? Not being marked, soldering lines are almost too good, and I guess the fact I have yet to see a piece like that doesnt help, but I know non of that proves it isnt pewter. It was cheap enough that I'll try melting it by itself at lower pewter temps. Its almost nice enough and seemingly unique enough to keep as a flower vase, but its got a couple dents around the bell section that are impossible to get out.

[jsizemore]

Stainless steel also uses spot welds to hold parts together. You'll see regularly spaced black or brown spots on the underside at the junction of 2 parts.

[jsizemore]

Regular flat sheen, easily dents, and doesn't ring when struck points to pewter.

[konsole]

The more notable recent finds.....

Candlestick with a copper insert
9.4-oz "COLONIAL PEWTER BOARDMAN 266 (maybe 257)"


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Big ol' honkin bowl, of course found among the general kitchenware bowls that the donation store probably thought was stainless
1-lb 11.2-oz "A.L. HANLE DISTINCTIVE AMERICAN PEWTER"


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Another big bowl
1-lb 2.4-oz "REED & BARTON PEWTER P45"


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Very heavy and thick walled octagonal-shaped pitcher
2-lb 6.0-oz "GORHAM PEWTER PH30 N"


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This still has the little spoon inside
13.2-oz "ROUNDHEAD PEWTER MADE IN ENGLAND 8169"


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9.2-oz "ROYAL HOLLAND PEWTER DAALDEROP KMD MADE IN HOLLAND"


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Two 12" plates
2-lb 11.8-oz together "INTERNATIONAL PEWTER 277 70 1"


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1-lb 3.4-oz "PEWTER BY R.F. WILLIAMS"

[konsole]

Picture frames are worth keeping an eye out for. Some can be more then 2-lbs. "Fetco" and "Seagull" seem to be the 2 main potential pewter frames I have seen, with the "Fetco" ones having quite a bit of weight. The "Seagull" ones have a channel on the reverse that the picture/glass/backing slide into, while on the "Fetco" ones the picture/glass/backing is held on by the normal screwed down pivot tab. Be careful though because I have seen "Fetco" frames that dont appear to be pewter. Theres some debate about which frames are pewter, but I have found a couple that do say pewter on them, and they bend and hold that shape like pewter should. Obviously keep an eye out for picture frames that are relatively heavy even though they are not that big, and I have noticed that the metal should be the same "matte" grey front and back, but I don't know if its that way on all pewter frames. Try removing the picture/glass/backing and see if the frame is malleable.

[htuong95]

Here is my first score of pewter at my local thrift shop. Price tag reads $2.98 and with 25% off orange tags, I paid about $2.25 for it. I think it weighs at least 2 lbs. I think I did ok. Will continue to look for more. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread.