Pewter Coffee Scoop: The Flavor-Boosting Tool Every Barista Needs - Wholesale Market Hub
Learn what pewter is. See its composition, learn whether it's safe, and find out how to test pewter for lead.
Pewter is a tin-based alloy, meaning it is composed of other metals including tin. Pewter is an old alloy found in ancient Egypt and ancient Rome. The ancient form of pewter is different from modern forms of pewter as it used to contain lead, whereas now it uses antimony and copper instead.
Pewter is an attractive metal which has been used for the production of household and other items in Britain since Roman times. It is an alloy consisting mostly of tin which has been mixed with small amounts of other metals such as copper, lead or antimony to harden it and make it more durable.
Modern pewter is about 91 percent tin, 7.5 percent antimony, and 1.5 percent copper; the absence of lead makes it safe to use for dishes and drinking vessels. The surface of modern pewter is bluish white with either a crisp, bright finish or a soft, satin sheen.
The popularity of pewter traces back to early colonial times, as newly arrived colonists brought the malleable alloy from England. Considered somewhat of a luxury item, by 1610, pewter made its first appearance here in America in nearby Jamestown.
We make every piece of Danforth pewter, including the Shirley Collection, by hand in our Vermont workshop, carrying the store’s heritage of handcrafting American pewter into the 21st century.
