Pewter....did I get the right stuff

[Namerifrats]

Grabbed all these between 2 thrift stores today. All says Fine Pewter. Did I get the right stuff?

[00buck]

Yep. Good stuff
I try to stay under $4.00 a pound. Some thrift stores think it’s gold and price high.
I hit the flea market today and got 4 pounds for $4.00. So I was happy

[kevin c]

Looks good.

If it's stamped "pewter" that's a pretty reliable bet. European pewter may be marked "zinn" (German), "tenn" (Swedish), or "etain"(French). Be careful of candlesticks that have weighted bases: most of the weight in these is not metal. Salt cellars and especially pepper grinders, unless cast from solid pewter, are mostly a thin shell of pewter over other materials.

Different forms of pewter may vary in tin content and lead content: modern pewter ware for food service has a standard, usually 92% or more tin and no lead, whereas non food service and decorative items may have less tin, and some may even be a leaded form of pewter.

[jsizemore]

All good stuff.

[kevin c]

This man knows.

[Namerifrats]

Very good. First time I've tried to find any. That bell weights maybe 2lbs. Pretty thick. Same with that little picture frame or whatever it is. Gonna hunt some more in a couple days. Just wanted to make sure there wasn't anything bad to look for like zinc in any of these.

[Grmps]

It may also say Zin == means tin in German and I found some with the estaño == Spanish

[lightman]

Nice haul! I envy you guys that can find pewter. One day last winter I went to 8 different stores and found one little dish. Oh, there was some other stuff but it had antique prices on it.One was a really nice engraved serving tray that I would not have melted anyway.

[jsizemore]

Very good. First time I've tried to find any. That bell weights maybe 2lbs. Pretty thick. Same with that little picture frame or whatever it is. Gonna hunt some more in a couple days. Just wanted to make sure there wasn't anything bad to look for like zinc in any of these.

I have never, I mean never seen a piece marked "fine pewter" made in America that had anything other than tin, antimony and copper in it. Same for Germany , Holland, Sweden, Norway and England. The Selanger stuff from the far east has had the highest tin content. If they say fine pewter, that's what you get.

My old buy price was $3/lb. My present day price is $4/lb. That's for the whole days hunt. Some may be a bit over and others under. A glass bottom mug/tankard will generally weigh 8-12 ounces with the glass removed.

[dimaprok]

here's how i check if take pocket knife and leave easily a good deep scratch its pewter, also can easily bend if its goblet or creamery or some other thinner stuff.

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[redhawk0]

I pretty much go by hallmarks...if it says "Pewter", "Zinn", "Etain", "Tenn" then I buy it...any RWS symbols immediately get tossed aside, If it has a shield with a number in it (88, 92,95...etc)...that's also a good indicator of real pewter...the number is the percentage of Tin in the piece.

Once melted down and cast into whatever ingots you decide to make (I use heart shapes from a candy mold...so I can keep them separated)...they will have a slight yellow haze over the surface...this is the Tin and/or copper you are seeing.

What you have there...all looks good...you done good.

redhawk