Pewter pictures and hallmarks...

[Dunkem]

Into the pot it all goes, then poured into some ingots. Finally the weigh in.

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[Dunkem]

Then I had a sample analyzed. I believe the 4% lead is probably from the ornaments and knick knacks as I've had less than favorable results with picture frames. I'll post those findings later.

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[Dunkem]

As promised, here are the results from the picture frames I found. I apologize for the lack of photos. To begin with, none of the frames were specifically labeled as pewter with the exception of one that was labeled as "made with pewter materials". There were a few that had the manufacturer label of Fetco, I recall a previous post in this thread regarding this manufacturer producing some pewter frames. There were 6 frames in total that ranged in size from small 2X2 up to capable of holding 4ea. 5X6 photos. All of the frames exhibited the common traits of pewter (easily bent, no spring back after bending, heavy for size, and readily melted with propane torch), with none costing more than $1 each I decided to give it a try. All frames were melted separately from my labeled pewter, fluxed, skimmed then poured into the same ingot mold as my other pewter. First indication of something being different was that these ingots were 2-3ozs heavier than their same size pewter counterparts. Then I had a sample analyzed. As you can see, I ended up with basically coww+7% tin. While still useful, not what I was looking for. I think I'll pass on any picture frames that are not advertised as actual pewter from here on.

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[imashooter2]

Lol, lead, tin and antimony. Those are pewter materials. No false advertising there.

[Dunkem]

You've got a point, in fact that gives me an idea: we need to convince the wheel weight manufactures to up their tin content to between 2-5% then re-brand them as "pewter material". This will get the environmental naysayers to back down because they
no longer hear with the dreaded "L" word and we've killed 2 birds with 1 recycled pewter materials boolit.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Found these;




Bottom line is for every three pounds of bargain pewter you can score it makes 100 lbs. of pure lead into perfect boolit alloy.

[Dunkem]

German plate: this item has the most pronounced "tin cry" of any item I've found thus far, hoping this means it's high quality stuff. Made by "asn" engraved by Cramer, weighs 23.6 oz. Cost $2.

Candle holder: I believe I've seen a similar item on here somewhere, but I'll post this one anyways. Made by "Webb pewter", weighs 12 oz. (with weighting intact). Cost $1

Decorative heart: I have no idea what these are , but this is the 3rd one I've found so could be worth a mention. Made by "Rawcliffe pewter" weighs 2.8oz. Cost $0.50.

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[Grmps]

I have found some nice German tin marked "Zinn" = tin in German
the Candleholder will be full of "stuff" surrounded by some thin pewter

[Bookworm]

drove by an estate sale sign this morning.

Turned around.... A vase, two of the "web pewter weighted" candle sticks, same for the S&P set. Weights are marked.
My $5 take.


After I got the camel dung out of the bases, the candle sticks will net 8 ounces for the pair, the S&P set will net about 3 ounces for the pair. The vase is the good one, over 3/4 pound.

I'll get about a pound and a half out of it, so between $3.50 - $4.00 per pound. I'm happy.

Plus, free candles for fluxing !

Below is the hallmark on the vase.

[Bookworm]

I de-weighted the candlesticks and the salt & pepper shakers.

For the total of the five pieces - vase, candlesticks, S&P shakers, I have 26.5 ounces, or 1lb 10.5oz total, for a cost of $5.
That's $3.07/lb. I'm sure I'll lose a couple ounces more when I render this down, but I'm happy.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Yesterday's lode;



Couple pieces marked "quadruple plate" but heavy and malable so it is pewter.
8 lbs. for $27

[jsizemore]

Quadruple plate can be pewter or white metal or britannia metal as the form base with nickel over it before the plating layers. If pewter it may have a bit of lead in the alloy to raise the melting temp.

[RogerDat]

Just an FYI recent purchase of a typical sized pewter tankard at thrift store made me realize I had forgotten how much metal weight is on one. There is just a touch under 1/2 pound of pewter in one of those glass bottom cups. Worth considering when trying to decide if the purchase price makes it a good deal or a bad deal. I paid a bit too much but had 3# of good deal to average it in with so it wasn't an actual bad deal. I try to stay at $3 a pound. In this case it was $2.75 a 1/2 pound or $5.50 a pound. Not great but at the sub $3 purchase price I figure I still gained 1/2 pound of pewter for not much cash. Now if it had been a box of the things (which I have seen before) then the purchase of $27 worth of cups would have been a bit of a stretch.

I had already talked them down from $10.99 on the one cup so sort of felt like taking it was the "polite" thing to do once it got below $3.

Remember not all those gray metal tankards are pewter. Tankards or mugs should be clearly marked pewter on the bottom. The ones with rivets or screws holding on the handles are not pewter.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Quadruple plate can be pewter or white metal or britannia metal as the form base with nickel over it before the plating layers. If pewter it may have a bit of lead in the alloy to raise the melting temp.

Well, White Metal can have zinc and cadmium in it so that would be a problem. Anyone have bad experiences with this quad plated stuff?

[Dunkem]

Well, White Metal can have zinc and cadmium in it so that would be a problem. Anyone have bad experiences with this quad plated stuff?

I mixed a small cup in with a bunch of other hallmarked pewter stuff. The only minor issue I had was my finished product contained 4% lead. There were some other non food service items that went into the mix as well so it would be impossible to blame it on the cup. But no cadmium or zinc in my experience.

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[dondiego]

Just an FYI recent purchase of a typical sized pewter tankard at thrift store made me realize I had forgotten how much metal weight is on one. There is just a touch under 1/2 pound of pewter in one of those glass bottom cups. Worth considering when trying to decide if the purchase price makes it a good deal or a bad deal. I paid a bit too much but had 3# of good deal to average it in with so it wasn't an actual bad deal. I try to stay at $3 a pound. In this case it was $2.75 a 1/2 pound or $5.50 a pound. Not great but at the sub $3 purchase price I figure I still gained 1/2 pound of pewter for not much cash. Now if it had been a box of the things (which I have seen before) then the purchase of $27 worth of cups would have been a bit of a stretch.

I had already talked them down from $10.99 on the one cup so sort of felt like taking it was the "polite" thing to do once it got below $3.

Remember not all those gray metal tankards are pewter. Tankards or mugs should be clearly marked pewter on the bottom. The ones with rivets or screws holding on the handles are not pewter.

I know where a bunch of those tankards are! They are only asking $25 apiece.

[RogerDat]

I know where a bunch of those tankards are! They are only asking $25 apiece.

I asked at the thrift store if they used eBay to price this stuff and they said yes, so I told them to use the little link that says "sold" so they might price their stuff based on the selling prices not the sucker bait price some people ask on eBay but that has no buyers except people who don't know actual value of any "antique" items. They said they would pass it on. Seems like this happens from time to time. Salvation Army gets someone in that is going to make them mad loot on "collectables".

Despite the fact that the "collectable" in question looks like I kicked it across the parking lot so dear wife wouldn't try to claim it.

[dondiego]

I asked at the thrift store if they used eBay to price this stuff and they said yes, so I told them to use the little link that says "sold" so they might price their stuff based on the selling prices not the sucker bait price some people ask on eBay but that has no buyers except people who don't know actual value of any "antique" items. They said they would pass it on. Seems like this happens from time to time. Salvation Army gets someone in that is going to make them mad loot on "collectables".

Despite the fact that the "collectable" in question looks like I kicked it across the parking lot so dear wife wouldn't try to claim it.

I offered her $3 apiece for them, which I thought was a good offer since most were engraved with the event, name, and date, and I think that I hurt her feelings.

[RogerDat]

I offered her $3 apiece for them, which I thought was a good offer since most were engraved with the event, name, and date, and I think that I hurt her feelings.

Her feelings are her problem! That and she has no idea what the mugs are really worth, that to is her problem. I too have been offered the $25 mug, engraved with someone else's name. When I pointed out the thing had little value for anyone not named "Engelbert Humperdinck" They showed me where it was "English Pewter" and had been kept very shiny. They also got to keep the very shiny tankard, and I kept my grubby money.

[kevin c]

Attachment 217645

I found this plate, 12" across and weighing in at three pounds, along with five others, at a large estate sale. "Etain" and 95% were stamped on the underside of the rim. Bought them all.

Once home, I inspected my score. Nice set of dings, scratches and dents. Well used, thinks I. Then I had a close gander at each plate. Every one of the six had EXACTLY the same dings, scratches and dents. Apparently they were all cast from an original antique, using a fine detail silicone mold. I started thinking that maybe the metal wasn't pewter after all: even though it bent like pewter and I could scratch it with a brass key, it had a shine and a ring to it that made me worry.

BNE to the rescue! His analysis came back very reassuring; I am the proud owner of 18 pounds of soon to be 97% pewter ingots.

Just to let folks know that pewter antiques can be used to make modern duplicates that likely have a fraction of the value of the original.