PEWTER AND THE REVIVAL OF ITS USE. 707 



Mr. Gardner ton years ago, and (he inlerestino- fact tliat no sooner 

 had the echoes of his words of hinientation died away than the chmd 

 Avhicii threatened extinction to the inchistry sk)\vly lifted, and from 

 that dixy the erstwhile moribund draft has been struggling l)aek to 

 life. Among the controlling inflnenees tending toward this result a 

 certain lirm, whose name I need not mention, had, shortly after that 

 time, ailopted for designs in siher plate and jewelry the motif 

 and lines of ancient Celtic ornament. The results proving fairly 

 satisfactory, the question arose, AMiy not ap})ly the like forms and 

 designs to the manufacture of pewter? Thus, rightly or wrongly, 

 the pioneers of the revival of Celtic ornament decided to work in 

 pewter on somewhat parallel lines Avitli silver, and came to the con- 

 clusion that nothing is produced by the silversmith which may not, 

 as occasion arises, be made in pewter, but with the distinct proviso 

 that any attempt to imitate the precious metal should be avoided. 

 For pewter, however, only modifications of Celtic forms were used, 

 and these were soon supplemented by floral and plant motives to 

 which the distinguishing name of " Tudric " was given. This modest 

 effort was, at all events, the first step toward the reawakening of the 

 pewter industry, and up to the present it remains the only effort 

 that has been made in England. It attained some commercial suc- 

 cess, and, directly and indirectly, it has been the means of the revival, 

 so far as a revival has at present progressed. But the ideal of 

 modern English pewter, as conceived by its sponsors, aims at more 

 than a commercial success — it aims at a high standard in design, a 

 high standard in workmanship, and a high standard in the quality 

 of the metal, and it strives to avoid overmodeling and overchasing. 

 It Avould devote attention to shapes being properly adapted to the 

 several purposes for which the objects are made, it would see that the 

 constructive lines be graceful, well contrasted, and strong, and that 

 ornament, when used at all, be used with restraint, and gi-ow out of 

 the o-eneral design. These excellent intentions, unfortunately, are 

 not always carried out, for faulty and eccentric notes strike out from 

 time to time. These, however, it is confidently believed, are mere 

 accidents by the way, and will doubtless become less and less fre- 

 quent. The Germans are, practically, the only Continental repre 

 sentatives of the modern pewter industry, and they, having observed 

 the new^ note struck in England, appear to have seized upon the fact 

 that a change in the fashion of their own wares was desirable. So, 

 forthwith, they proceeded to produce what they conceived to be an 

 improvement upon the English work, and translated it into the 

 fantastic motif which it pleases our Continental friends to worship 

 as Fart nouveau. Still, alongside the foolish and undesirable, it 

 must in justice be admitted that the Germans have recently produced 

 many original and pleasing designs in pewter. I allude, particularly 



