Heavy pewter bowl

[PoisonIvyMagnet]

Wife wanted to run up to Virginia to visit the Black Dog Salvage warehouse today (yep, that same one you see on tv). It was fun, lots of cool salvaged items along with the things they build from scraps and such. Brought a few things home, including a 6 lb pewter bowl I found on a shelf for $27. The cashier remarked how pretty it looked, and was rather dismayed when my wife said that I was probably going to melt it to make boolits. [emoji3] I think I'll keep it on the shelf for now, until I really need it.
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/10/97670ee2f3984c9195697bd1591209b9.jpg

[jsizemore]

Nice.

[imashooter2]

That's really heavy for a 6.5 or 7 inch bowl.

[PoisonIvyMagnet]

The diameter across the top is 10", and the walls feel a little bit under 1/8" thick (by my fingers, anyway). I was a little surprised when I picked it up, didn't think it was going to weigh quite that much.

[imashooter2]

That's still twice as heavy as similar sized bowls I've found. A pair of 12 inch bowls on the first page of the hallmarks thread only went 2.5 pounds each. Who made it? Can we get a macro pic of the hallmark?

[PoisonIvyMagnet]

This bowl doesn't have any hallmarks on the bottom. I can see where someone scratched off a sticker, but nothing else. From the weight and color, I figure that it has a higher percentage of lead in it than most pewter you would run across. It may not be a production piece, but someone's art project. I'd think that they would have at least wanted to etch their name in the bottom, though.

[jsizemore]

It looks to have enamel and/or brass bits imbedded in the sides. Could be similar to the duck containers. Like this:

https://www.google.com/search?q=pewter+ducks+made+in+hong+kong&biw=1024&bih=652&tbm=isch&imgil=dil_QuzSL3nLwM%253A%253BN0Nw8Phf_1FBvM%253Bh ttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.amazon.com%25252FPEWTE R-BRASS-METAL-TRINKET-HOLDER%25252Fdp%25252FB00BA0BQMU&source=iu&pf=m&fir=dil_QuzSL3nLwM%253A%252CN0Nw8Phf_1FBvM%252C_&dpr=1&usg=__9VC09wh5pkqKSEEbs7Ebyze3zTo%3D&ved=0ahUKEwj_rbyRrtTJAhUK3mMKHRErBkIQyjcITg&ei=oAtrVv_dM4q8jwOR1piQBA#imgrc=dil_QuzSL3nLwM%3A&usg=__9VC09wh5pkqKSEEbs7Ebyze3zTo%3D

[PoisonIvyMagnet]

I think you're on the right track with the ducks from Hong Kong. Very similar materials. Scanning down the page there's a picture of another bowl exactly like mine, with the cherry blossom inlay. The owner was looking for any information about it.

[jsizemore]

I don't know what duck metal is made of. I'm working on another package to BNE for testing. I'll see if I can scrounge a duck from the flea market for testing.

[Retumbo]

I have a pile of ingots made of Chiner pewter. Waiting for the pile to get enough to melt everything together and see what hardness I get. Then I'll cut it with some pure. Mostly picture frames and plates.

[Gliden07]

In the meantime you should fill that bowl with Cast Boolits!! It would make a nice center piece!! LOL!!

[RogerDat]

The darker patina of the metal does make one think higher lead content. Does not mean low tin, lead based pewter was still fairly high tin. Makes me wonder about age/value. I can't swear to when lead content was all but eliminated from pewter production due to lead poisoning concerns but it was a long time ago. When I see "pewter" that is tending toward black I don't melt it until I can confirm it has no great collectors value. Collectors be they of molds, presses, or pewter art objects may well value something way higher than normal people would. ;-)

[brassrat]

I think that I read the lead was removed in the early 1800s, surprising

[imashooter2]

Lead was removed very early on by trade guild agreement for objects to be used for foodstuffs. I believe it wasnt until the late 1950s early 60s that legislation was passed regards holloware.

[Retumbo]

If its from Chiner, its a **** shoot. I personally would not trust any pewter from there. Not to long ago they were still finding lead paint on kids toys from there.

[Don Fischer]

Do you guy's mix pewter or do you used as it is melted? Sound's like some do a hardness test on it. Don't know one thing about it.

[Retumbo]

A couple % are added to better fill out the molds.

[imashooter2]

Do you guy's mix pewter or do you used as it is melted? Sound's like some do a hardness test on it. Don't know one thing about it.

It is used as tin to lower surface tension in casting alloys to promote easier fill out and greater ductility in the castings. I melt it, clean it up and cast it into small ingots for later use. Some folks just weigh it out as an object and throw it in the pot, but my experience is there is plenty of dirt and oxides to be removed by making ingots first.