View source for Pewter

{{short description|Alloy primarily of tin, used for metalware}}
[[File:Fork-Viking-Pewter-detail.jpg|thumb|125px|Detail on a pewter fork handle from Norway, showing three scenes: King [[Olaf II of Norway|Olaf II Haraldsson (St. Olaf)]], his men, and a Viking ship]]

'''Pewter''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|p|juː|t|ər}}) is a [[Ductility|malleable]] [[metal]] [[alloy]] consisting of [[tin]] (85–99%), [[antimony]] (approximately 5–10%), [[copper]] (2%),<ref>{{cite web |last=Richardson |first=Kathryn |title=Pewter Casting Alloys |url=https://www.northernsmelters.com.au/pewter-casting-alloys |website=Northern Smelters}}</ref> [[bismuth]],<ref name=":0" /> and sometimes [[silver]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tiranti No2 Lead Free Pewter Low Melt Alloy |url=https://potterycrafts.co.uk/products/tiranti-no2-lead-free-pewter-low-melt-alloy |access-date=2025-03-14 |website=pottery-crafts-shop |language=en}}</ref> In the past, it was an alloy of tin and as much as 40% [[lead]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Where Lead Hides |url=http://hydra.usc.edu/scehsc/pdfs/D-1-3-2%20Where%20Lead%20Hides.pdf |access-date=2016-10-06 |archive-date=2015-04-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150421102114/http://hydra.usc.edu/scehsc/pdfs/D-1-3-2%20Where%20Lead%20Hides.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> but most modern pewter, in order to prevent [[lead poisoning]], is not made with lead. Pewter has a low [[melting point]], around {{convert|170|-|230|C|F}}, depending on the exact mixture of metals.<ref name="Belmont" >{{cite web |title=Pewter |url=https://www.belmontmetals.com/product-category/pewter/ |website=Belmont Metals |date=2 July 2021}}</ref>{{sfnp|Campbell|2006|p=207}} The word ''pewter'' is possibly a variation of "[[spelter]]", a term for [[zinc]] alloys (originally a colloquial name for zinc).{{sfnp|Skeat|1893|pp=438–439}}

== History ==
Pewter was first used around the beginning of the [[Bronze Age]] in the [[Near East]]. The earliest known piece of pewter was found in an [[Ancient Egypt|Egyptian]] tomb, {{c.|1450&nbsp;BC}},{{sfnp|Hull|1992|p=4}} but it is unlikely that this was the first use of the material. Pewter was used for decorative metal items and tableware in ancient times by the Egyptians and later the Romans, and came into extensive use in Europe from the [[Middle Ages]]<ref name=":0">[http://www.pewtersociety.org/pewter/what-is-pewter/ What is pewter?] – The Pewter Society</ref> until the various developments in pottery and glass-making during the 18th and 19th centuries. Pewter was a leading material for producing plates, cups, and bowls before the wide adoption of [[porcelain]]. Mass production of pottery, porcelain and glass products have almost universally replaced pewter in daily life, although pewter artifacts continue to be produced, mainly as decorative or specialty items. Pewter was also used around [[East Asia]]. Although some items still exist,{{sfnp|Brown|1973}} [[ancient Roman]] pewter is rare.<ref>{{cite web |title=How to Identify Pewter Marks |url=http://governmentauctionsuk.com/antique-auction-guides/pewter |url-status=dead |publisher=gauk Auctions |date=14 April 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150414145614/http://governmentauctionsuk.com/antique-auction-guides/pewter |archive-date=14 April 2015 |via=archive.vn}}</ref>

Lidless mugs and lidded [[tankard]]s may be the most familiar pewter artifacts from the late 17th and 18th centuries, although the metal was also used for many other items including [[porringer]]s (shallow bowls), plates, dishes, basins, spoons, measures, flagons, communion cups, teapots, sugar bowls, [[beer stein]]s (tankards), and cream jugs. In the early 19th century, changes in [[fashion]] caused a decline in the use of pewter flatware. At the same time, production increased of both cast and spun pewter tea sets, whale-oil lamps, candlesticks, and so on. Later in the century, pewter alloys were often used as a base metal for [[electroplating|silver-plated]] objects.

In the late 19th century, pewter came back into fashion with the revival of medieval objects for decoration. New replicas of medieval pewter objects were created, and collected for decoration. Today, pewter is used in decorative objects, mainly collectible statuettes and figurines, game figures, aircraft and other models, (replica) coins, pendants, plated jewellery and so on. {{anchor|Medal}}Certain athletic contests, such as the [[United States Figure Skating Championships]], award pewter medals to fourth-place finishers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.frogsonice.com/skateweb/faq/rules.shtml#Q17|title=Competitive Figure Skating FAQ: Rules and Regulations|publisher=www.frogsonice.com|access-date=2012-10-18|archive-date=2022-05-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220508042850/http://www.frogsonice.com/skateweb/faq/rules.shtml#Q17|url-status=dead}}</ref>

<gallery widths="200px" heights="200px">
File:Pewter Ring.jpg|Pewter ring
File:Pewterplate exb.jpg|Pewter plate
File:Pewter vase.jpg|Pewter vase
File:Pewter Cream Pitcher.jpg|alt=An ornate pewter cream pitcher|Pewter cream pitcher {{c.|1780}}
</gallery>

== Types ==
In antiquity, pewter was [[tin]] alloyed with lead and sometimes also [[copper]]. Older pewters with higher lead content are heavier, tarnish faster, and their [[Redox|oxidation]] has a darker, silver-gray color.<ref>{{cite web |title=Where Lead Hides |url=http://hydra.usc.edu/scehsc/pdfs/D-1-3-2%20Where%20Lead%20Hides.pdf |access-date=2016-10-06 |archive-date=2015-04-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150421102114/http://hydra.usc.edu/scehsc/pdfs/D-1-3-2%20Where%20Lead%20Hides.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> Pewters containing lead are no longer used in items that will come in contact with the human body (such as cups, plates, or jewelry), due to [[Lead poisoning|the toxicity of lead]]. Modern pewters are available that are completely free of lead, although many pewters containing lead are still being produced for other purposes.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pewter: What It Is, Properties, Importance, Uses, and Advantages |url=https://www.xometry.com/resources/materials/what-is-pewter/#:~:text=Originally,%20pewter%20was%20a%2070,antimony,%20and%201.5%25%20copper. |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=www.xometry.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

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. Asian pewter, produced mostly in [[Malaysia]], [[Singapore]], and [[Thailand]], contains a higher percentage of tin, usually 97.5% tin, 1% copper, and 1.5% antimony. This makes the alloy slightly softer.{{sfnp|Hull|1992|p=4}}

The term ''Mexican pewter'' is used for any of various alloys of aluminium that are used for decorative items.<ref>{{cite web |title=Handcast Aluminum Pewter – Hecho en Mexico |url=http://www.adip.info/2000_2001/dec/07_pewter.php |publisher=Another Day In Paradise |date=December 2000 |access-date=2018-01-08 |archive-date=2018-01-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180107061017/http://www.adip.info/2000_2001/dec/07_pewter.php |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.osterpewter.com/faqs/ |title=FAQs |access-date=2019-07-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.copper-sink.com/pdf/Pewter_LOW.pdf |title=Pewter |access-date=2019-07-30}}</ref>

Pewter is also used to imitate platinum in costume jewelry.

== Properties ==
Pewter, being a softer material, can be manipulated in various ways such as being [[Casting (metalworking)|cast]], hammered, [[Lathe|turned]], [[Metal spinning|spun]] and [[Engraving|engraved]].

Given that pewter is soft at room temperature, a pewter [[bell]] does not ring clearly. Cooling it in [[liquid nitrogen]] hardens it and enables it to ring, but also makes it more brittle.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://berkeleyphysicsdemos.net/node/321|title = LN2 demos: Pewter bell and spring, color change tube, LN2 cannon. &#124; Lecture Demonstrations}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Britannia metal]]
* [[English pewter]]
* [[Spin casting]]
* [[Solder]]
* [[Royal Selangor]] (one of the largest manufacturer of pewter products)

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

== References ==
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite journal |last=Brown |first=David |title=A Roman Pewter Hoard from Appleford, Berks. |url=http://oxoniensia.org/volumes/1973/brown1.pdf |journal=Oxoniensia |volume=38 |pages=184–206 |year=1973}}
*{{citation |last=Campbell |first=Gordon |title=The Grove encyclopedia of decorative arts |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R8BMW6Au7pQC |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |edition=illustrated |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-19-518948-3}}
*{{citation |last=Hull |first=Charles |title=Pewter |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dy5ZvgAACAAJ |publisher=Osprey Publishing |year=1992 |isbn=978-0-7478-0152-8}}
*{{citation |last=Skeat |first=Walter William |title =An etymological dictionary of the English language |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OHkKAAAAIAAJ |publisher=Clarendon Press |edition=second |year=1893}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Pewter}}
{{Wiktionary}}
* [http://www.pewterbank.com PewterBank] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100116202154/http://www.pewterbank.com/ |date=2010-01-16 }}
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Pewter |short=x}}

{{Jewellery}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Fusible alloys]]
[[Category:Tin alloys]]
[[Category:Pewter| ]]