Enquiry

Found on the Thames foreshore: what is it? Any help would be most welcome!

Answer from the enquiry team

Thanks for your enquiry 25 February about your latest find on the Thames foreshore.

You have an ear from a porringer in a style categorised as ‘dolphin’. It has on the shield the owner’s initials which are SC.

Porringers with dolphin ears were made generally in London between 1670 and 1750 and are rare accounting for about 6% of porringers.

I hope you enjoy your find!

The assessment below is based on the best information available to us at present, but we cannot guarantee its accuracy as we have not inspected the item, and our knowledge of pewter and pewterers is constantly expanding.  It is for your personal information only and any information given cannot be used in connection with the sale or offer for sale of any item about which the information is solicited.

Whilst our service is free, the database we use to answer your query costs us a considerable amount of money a year to run.  If you would like to make a small donation towards this cost (preferably in pounds sterling), you can do so via PayPal to treasurer@pewtersociety.org and we'll be very grateful!

We were pleased to receive your enquiry.  We welcome new members and if you would like to join our Society, full details can be found on our website: www.pewtersociety.org .  We post some enquiries anonymously in the "recent enquires" section of our website, and we hope you won't mind if we select yours for this.

ENQUIRY

I wonder if you can help? I live in Maidstone and I have 2 x normal size pewter plates and 1 x pewter tray.

My grandmother gave them to me years ago and they’ve been under my bed. 

Are you able to tell me anything about them via the marks on them? I am not sure if they are worth anything or whether they’re just worth their weight in pewter

Answer from the enquiry team

Thanks for your enquiry about your grandmother’s pewter plates.

These are modern German probably made around 1970.

They have continued the tradition of triple struck touch marks used for earlier centuries for quality pieces as well as the popular angel motif.

The assessment above is based on the best information available to us at present, but we cannot guarantee its accuracy as we have not inspected the item, and our knowledge of pewter and pewterers is constantly expanding.  It is for your personal information only and any information given cannot be used in connection with the sale or offer for sale of any item about which the information is solicited.

Whilst our service is free, the database we use to answer your query costs us a considerable amount of money a year to run.  If you would like to make a small donation towards this cost (preferably in pounds sterling), you can do so via PayPal to treasurer@pewtersociety.org and we'll be very grateful!

We were pleased to receive your enquiry.  We welcome new members and if you would like to join our Society, full details can be found on our website: www.pewtersociety.org .  We post some enquiries anonymously in the "recent enquires" section of our website, and we hope you won't mind if we select yours for this.

Enquiry

I am a very new and very amateur collector from the US. A few months ago I purchased my first piece from an estate auction in upstate NY and your society was kind enough to help me identify the age and maker. Being brand new to this collecting thing I thought I might submit a new enquiry for my second piece from another estate auction. As you can see from the pictures I am now the proud owner of a Swiss Bell Glockenkanne Wine Flagon. The container stands 12 inches tall at the top of the circle handle. There are no owner inscriptions on the piece that I can find. On the interior you will find an interesting flower type crest design that is flanked by the makers touch mark and what I am guessing might be a quality mark. The makers touch mark looks to be an angel type figure with the initials EB. The quality mark looks like some sort of wrapped hatchet. Also the makers mark appears again on the spout lid. Most examples I have found in my search date to the 18th century by my piece just seems to be to clean and unused for that to be the case. Could this be some sort of contemporary replica or copy? Any guidance you can offer me in this search would be greatly appreciated. 

Answer from the enquiry team

You have a classic style Swiss Bell Glockenkanne which was made in the 20th century by Eugen Braumandl I  born 1919 or his son Eugen Braumandl II born 1944 who both used the same rose mark and angel touch with initials EB.

I hope you enjoy your purchase and go on to find more interesting pieces.

The assessment above is based on the best information available to us at present, but we cannot guarantee its accuracy as we have not inspected the item, and our knowledge of pewter and pewterers is constantly expanding.  It is for your personal information only and any information given cannot be used in connection with the sale or offer for sale of any item about which the information is solicited.

 Whilst our service is free, the database we use to answer your query costs us a considerable amount of money a year to run.  If you would like to make a small donation towards this cost (preferably in pounds sterling), you can do so via PayPal to treasurer@pewtersociety.org and we'll be very grateful!

We were pleased to receive your enquiry.  We welcome new members and if you would like to join our Society, full details can be found on our website: www.pewtersociety.org .  We post some enquiries anonymously in the "recent enquires" section of our website, and we hope you won't mind if we select yours for this.

ENQUIRY

This plate which is  a bit battered has been in my husband’s grandmothers house for as long as he can remember! Please will you tell us anything you can about it?

Answer from the enquiry team

Thanks for your enquiry about the family’s pewter plate.

You have a lovely antique Dutch plate which was made in the 17th century by Weduwe Barend Harmensz  working in Amsterdam. He is recorded as supplying pewter flagons to the City in 1652.

I hope you enjoy owning this part of your history.

The assessment above is based on the best information available to us at present, but we cannot guarantee its accuracy as we have not inspected the item, and our knowledge of pewter and pewterers is constantly expanding.  It is for your personal information only and any information given cannot be used in connection with the sale or offer for sale of any item about which the information is solicited.

Whilst our service is free, the database we use to answer your query costs us a considerable amount of money a year to run.  If you would like to make a small donation towards this cost (preferably in pounds sterling), you can do so via PayPal to treasurer@pewtersociety.org and we'll be very grateful!

We were pleased to receive your enquiry.  We welcome new members and if you would like to join our Society, full details can be found on our website: www.pewtersociety.org .  We post some enquiries anonymously in the "recent enquires" section of our website, and we hope you won't mind if we select yours for this.

ENQUIRY

I recently inherited this quart pewter tankard from my late mother's estate. It bears some marks which may help to identify the maker and its age, but I am unable to find any references.

My mother's family on both sides were farmers in north-west England.

Answer from the enquiry team

Thanks for your enquiry about your Imperial quart capacity 19th century pewter mug with a bulbous body.

This has seen service in public houses as it carries verification marks from the Excise Inspector when he checked the capacity in use to ensure that the publican was not giving short measure. It was checked in  Liverpool during Queen Victoria’s reign between 1881 and 1901 and also again later in the reign of Edward VII.

There is also a City of Liverpool mark with a Liver Bird!

If you are lucky you might find a maker’s mark on the inside base often under a lot of dirt which can be removed with gentle scraping with something like a wooden lolly stick.

I hope you enjoy owning this part of your family’ history from North West England.

The assessment above is based on the best information available to us at present, but we cannot guarantee its accuracy as we have not inspected the item, and our knowledge of pewter and pewterers is constantly expanding.  It is for your personal information only and any information given cannot be used in connection with the sale or offer for sale of any item about which the information is solicited.

Whilst our service is free, the database we use to answer your query costs us a considerable amount of money a year to run.  If you would like to make a small donation towards this cost (preferably in pounds sterling), you can do so via PayPal to treasurer@pewtersociety.org and we'll be very grateful!

We were pleased to receive your enquiry.  We welcome new members and if you would like to join our Society, full details can be found on our website: www.pewtersociety.org .  We post some enquiries anonymously in the "recent enquires" section of our website, and we hope you won't mind if we select yours for this.

ENQUIRY

Dear Pewter Society,

Would you be able to identify the marks on this Pewter Jug please.

Does it say ‘VR’ or ‘WR’ under the crown ?

The height is 15cms, base diameter 12cms, top diameter 10cms.

Answer from the enquiry team

Thank you for your enquiry.

it is certainly a genuine early nineteenth century mug but identifying it is not totally straightforward.

I would date it between 1820 and 1840. The W1V mark suggests the later date of the period but could have been added later.

The V or W question is also tricky but it is very unusual to have a crowned VR mark in this period so I have concluded its a WR mark supporting the earlier date.

The 3 lion passant hallmark was used by the Alderson of London family on imperial post 1826 wares. My only doubt is the spacing of the lion marks as they are normally closer together on recorded examples. If it is the latter you should be able to spot a mark inside on top of the base - commonly a circular mark with ALDERSON stamped in clear text.

So given all my qualifications my best assessment is that it was made by M Alderson & Co in London who worked from 1821 to 1832.

The assessment above is based on the best information available to us at present, but we cannot guarantee its accuracy as we have not inspected the item, and our knowledge of pewter and pewterers is constantly expanding.  It is for your personal information only and any information given cannot be used in connection with the sale or offer for sale of any item about which the information is solicited.

Whilst our service is free, the database we use to answer your query costs us a considerable amount of money a year to run.  If you would like to make a small donation towards this cost (preferably in pounds sterling), you can do so via PayPal to treasurer@pewtersociety.org and we'll be very grateful!

We were pleased to receive your enquiry.  We welcome new members and if you would like to join our Society, full details can be found on our website: www.pewtersociety.org .  We post some enquiries anonymously in the "recent enquires" section of our website, and we hope you won't mind if we select yours for this.