We maintain a stock of early pewter items that are contemporary with our oak furniture. Plates and chargers display well on larger chests and dressers. Tankards – always made with lids during this period – and flagons will enhance almost any piece of oak.
Pewter was an everyday commodity in the English household during the seventeenth and early eighteenth century. The simple and elegant styles of the pieces were adapted from those developed by the silversmiths. This, together with the soft glow of the surface of the metal contributes to its charm and decorative appeal.
In contemporary use, pewter was kept bright, by scouring and polishing (see the short introduction to early pewter in 'Pewter in the Age of Oak'). At Mauleverer, we advocate the display of pewter with a surface finish that replicates its appearance when in original use, just as with copper and brass objects. So most of our pewter has a light polished surface with the original oxide on the undersides and on the insides of hollow ware. However, we also stock some of items with the grey surface that develops when pewter is left unpolished for a period of time, for collectors who prefer this finish.
The main work on pewter; ‘Old Pewter, its Makers and
Marks’ by H H Cotterell, is out of print, but second hand copies can
be found. We try to maintain a small selection of out-of print books
for the benefit of collectors who would like to read more about the
subject.