It is important to note that early pewter had a very large lead content. Because lead is a poisonous substance, its daily or frequent use resulted in the chemical leaching out of the plate, spoon or tankard and quickly being absorbed into the human body. As a result, many died from pewter poisoning, especially sailors.
Wilton ALWAYS stamps ALL of their items with it's "touch" or hallmark, the 3 letters: RWP. They are always found in a circle with W usually larger than the R and P. Generally found on the bottom or the side of an item, the mark varies in size on different pieces. The word WILTON may, or may not, be stamped.
Does the pewter turn green? Pewter is an excellent metal that will not tarnish as silver does, but it doesn't cause the green color. The color, therefore, has nothing to do with the pewter metals.
How to Clean Pewter
- Fill a bucket with hot water.
- Squirt in some mild dishwashing soap.
- Dip in a sponge and squeeze out the excess water, then proceed to wipe down the pewter surface.
- Rinse off the piece and dry it with a soft cloth.
Check the unknown metal's surfaces in detail. Pewter is notorious for its softness. It is harder than tin but still easily scarred, dented and pitted by corrosives. If your object has noticeable pits, dents or deep scratches, it is more likely to be pewter.
But, they are very different substances. Lead is a pure element; pewter is an alloy. Lead is heavy; pewter is light. Tin and pewter are expensive; lead is inexpensive.
Pewter was widely used for dishes, church vessels, and decorative items. Being a common alloy, pewter has been primarily utilitarian and only secondarily ornamental, being used where the precious metals were too expensive.
Modern pewters are available that are completely free of lead, although many pewters containing lead are still being produced for other purposes. A typical European casting alloy contains 94% tin, 1% copper and 5% antimony. A European pewter sheet would contain 92% tin, 2% copper, and 6% antimony.
FAQ | Royal Selangor Official Website. Pewter is a tin alloy with more than 90% tin where Copper and Antimony are added in for strength and malleability. We obtain our raw materials from the Metals Exchange Market and all Royal Selangor tablewares and drinkware are lead-free so they are food safe.
Scratch suspected pewter with a pin. If there is a mark, it's probably pewter. If there is no mark but it looks like pewter, it's most likely silver or silver plate. Be sure to perform the scratch test so the resulting mark does not detract from the piece.
Pewter should never be used in an oven, microwave or on the stovetop and should not be exposed to a direct flame. This could cause melting and deform the piece.
Pewter measures from the 17th and 18th centuries were made from an alloy of tin with a small percentage of lead which was used as a low cost bulking agent and help durability. With current understanding of the effect of heavy metals such as lead on the body, it is not advisable to use them for drinking purposes.
