Pewter statue

[richhodg66]

I have a big box of pewter stuff I have procured over the years at thrift shops, most of it is mugs somebody got for a retirement gift or something I'd have no problems melting, but if it looks like a nice piece, I'm holding onto it. I found a mid 19th century hot water plate with maybe a pound of pewter for a dollar and ahalf once, looked at a very similar on a pewter collector website they were asking $250 for.

I have a steady source of pure tine for free at the moment, it'll be a while before I need to melt anymore of the pewter I have but plain candy dishes or mugs with the clear bottoms show up in thrift stores all the time, no need to melt something nice.

[Tripplebeards]

I have a big box of pewter stuff I have procured over the years at thrift shops, most of it is mugs somebody got for a retirement gift or something I'd have no problems melting, but if it looks like a nice piece, I'm holding onto it. I found a mid 19th century hot water plate with maybe a pound of pewter for a dollar and ahalf once, looked at a very similar on a pewter collector website they were asking $250 for.

I have a steady source of pure tine for free at the moment, it'll be a while before I need to melt anymore of the pewter I have but plain candy dishes or mugs with the clear bottoms show up in thrift stores all the time, no need to melt something nice.

I have a pewter plate from the 1750s I got for six bucks at the Salvation Army. They were losted for $400 on eBay. I tried mine on there for $298.00 and dropped it all the way down to 30 bucks and still no takers so I just took it off and put it up. I also have an old pewter flask with no markings on it.I found picture of one said it appraised for $38,000 I got for six bucks to. I’d like to take it to the old antiques rodeo show. I’m sure with no markings it’s not worth anything.

[Schreck5]

Tripplebeards, that is exactly what I thought when I 1st saw it. In fact I did walk away. Then I went back the next day and bought it. The texture and look of it just seemed to say pewter and I just could not resist the temptation. SHE HAD ME UNDER HER SPELL.

[Conditor22]

IF it looks interesting to you, save it for the last resort.

I have a shelf of mugs, plates, etc

I have plenty of 60/40, 50/50, and pewter .5oz. boolits so my collection grows

[bangerjim]

That looks like one of the goofy statues you can buy in Wisconsin dells. They have Wizards and dragons with emeralds and rubies all over them. I bet you it’s more lead than tin if you test it...if it even is pewter. I would have never bought it because it’s not marked pewter. Reminds me of the old “pewter” ducks “not marked pewter” I have with the gold inscribing on them I got for $1 and $4 dollars that weigh a couple pounds each. I’d melt it for $40...if it is pewter. If it was really pewter you could double your money if melted it down into ignots which is more then imo you would sell it for the way it is. It’s worth a try to Google it on eBay. People sell everything on there. It will then will give you an idea what it is or is not worth. I would not have bought it since it did not say pewter. I stick to dinnerware items since most are mainly tin and no lead.

You must be very careful when randomly melting down pewter items you fine in junk stores. While in Germany recently, I was in a shop that had one-of-a-kind lost wax investment cast figurines that were in the many MANY hundreds of $$....all well marked with the artist's info. Other stuff you find is usually carp. I look for modern food service stuff all the time but rarely ever find any. What I usually find, my wife grabs for her antique collection. Many candle sticks & plates hallmarked from the 1700 & 1800's. Never to be melted down for boolits!!!!!!!!

I get all my Sn form the scrap yards.

[Martin Luber]

Makes me think fondly of a certain Leg lamp....

[NikA]

They seem to be listed on eBay for around 125$. Whether they actually sell, who knows:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1991-Michae...-/292620297280

[kevin c]

I bow to your superior Google Fu, NikA!

You're right, though: what's asked for isn't always close to what it sells for.

ETA:

The artist filed for bankruptcy 15 years ago and has passed away since. From what I can read and what I see in this and other pieces, his pewter work was a cut above the average. That and the fact that he's gone may mean his surviving work may not have depreciated as much as the more run of the mill stuff, but as the eBay asking prices show, we're talking maybe about one or two C notes, not four figures or more.

If you like it as source metal or for its aesthetics, the OP got a bargain either way.

[Winger Ed.]

Makes me think fondly of a certain Leg lamp....

I remember seeing one of those.

I think it was Italian since the box it came in was marked with what sounded like 'frah-gee-leah'

[GregLaROCHE]

The only way to know the value of something, is when someone has bought it. It’s crazy what people sometimes ask for stuff on EBay. Especially when right next to it there’s the same thing for 1/10 the price.

[richhodg66]

I remember seeing one of those.

I think it was Italian since the box it came in was marked with what sounded like 'frah-gee-leah'

My wife and sons got me one of those as a gag gift a few years ago, it's about half the size of the one in the movie, but otherwise looks identical.

[Beagle333]

I say to stand it on the coffee table until the novelty wears off, then melt it. You will have enjoyed it to it's fullest then. It's nice to have something that you can restore to its full value to you again after a time, by just converting the purpose of it.

[edp2k]

They seem to be listed on eBay for around 125$. Whether they actually sell, who knows:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1991-Michae...-/292620297280

It hasn't sold since that ebay item went up for sale on "Jan 23, 2020 10:45:42 PST" or before,
and that's 10 months ago. If it was going to be snatched up as a RARE COLLECTORS ITEM it would have sold by now.
It also looks like no one has made a reasonable offer for it, since there is a "make offer" button and again its not sold yet.

If I had a dollar for every pewter item that people said "don't melt it! its a valuable RARE COLLECTORS ITEM! Sell it on ebay for a fortune!"
I could buy a pallet of Rotometals superhard.

I would like to see every person who says "don't melt it, sell it on ebay for a fortune!"
actually buy said item from the current item's owner for the aforementioned small fortune.
I can see the back pedaling now, like looney tunes

[richhodg66]

It hasn't sold since that ebay item went up for sale on "Jan 23, 2020 10:45:42 PST" or before,
and that's 10 months ago. If it was going to be snatched up as a RARE COLLECTORS ITEM it would have sold by now.
It also looks like no one has made a reasonable offer for it, since there is a "make offer" button and again its not sold yet.

If I had a dollar for every pewter item that people said "don't melt it! its a valuable RARE COLLECTORS ITEM! Sell it on ebay for a fortune!"
I could buy a pallet of Rotometals superhard.

I would like to see every person who says "don't melt it, sell it on ebay for a fortune!"
actually buy said item from the current item's owner for the aforementioned small fortune.
I can see the back pedaling now, like looney tunes

Well, most everybody didn't say "Don't melt it!" they said look into what it is before you do, and it looks like he now knows what he needs to know to make a decision about it. Chances are, his life doesn't depend on his casting bullets with it right this minute. No need to be a jerk.

If it were mine, I think I'd put it on a shelf above my reloading bench and she'd be the patron saint of cast bullets for me.

[Tripplebeards]

My wife and sons got me one of those as a gag gift a few years ago, it's about half the size of the one in the movie, but otherwise looks identical.

I have the full size version.

[Schreck5]

As a few of you have mentioned, i think i will set it on the coffe table or reloading room and admire her till i get tired of her then send her on her way to the silver stream to make me happy all over again.

[kevin c]

Sounds like you'll be having your cake and eating it, too.

[edp2k]

No need to be a jerk.

Quite touchy, aren't you?
I guess only your opinion matters here.

[richhodg66]

Quite touchy, aren't you?
I guess only your opinion matters here.

Accusing me of being touchy after that shrieking tirade you went on that generated my response? Buddy, you have issues.

Yes, you can have an opinion, even if it's stupid and even if you're a jerk presenting it.

[edp2k]

Just, wow.
Please accept my humble apologies.
I'm sorry I hurt your feelings.