PKW'I'Ki; AND THK I^KVIVAI. OK ITS ITSE. TOU 



porcelain cups and dishes are ohlaiiiahle a( e(|nal oi- less cost. A 

 recent author tells iis. indeed, that *' it is a o-ood thinu' to i-iih pewter 

 over with a \-,\iX satui'uted with \aseline," hut siii-el\- the pi-occss 

 appeals to the palate as the reverse' of appetizino-, and is ealeulatcMl 

 further to enii)hasi/,e the housewife's objection to pewter foi- culin- 

 ary and table use. Then, too, besides the w^ares made for the service 

 of food and other purposes requiring easy and perfect cleansing 

 there is a (juite considerable range of other things once made in 

 pewter, which an altered state of conditions has rendered useless. 

 These also are undesirable for the modern pewterer to reproduce. 

 The author just quoted writes, however, in reference to some of 

 them: "Among other instances of articles in pewter which have 

 now unfortunately ceased to bo made are snuffboxes, candle boxes, 

 table fountains, and lavabos, or hanging w^ashstands/' Now, while 

 sympathizing with collectors in regretting the disappearance of the 

 good w^ork of bygone days, it would be a more helpfid attitude for 

 the manufacturer to try to substitute useful objects for the useless 

 ones. Instead of table fountains and candle boxes one might sug- 

 gest the production of electroliers, jardinieres, and presentation 

 caskets, challenge cups, card trays, and a host of et ca^teras of the 

 flower vase order. We have, indeed, an example of how a similar 

 evolution w^as brought about by the Japanese metal workers, who, 

 when they found that sw^ord hilts and their inlaying were no longer 

 required, transferred their attention to the invention of the cheap 

 and clever antimony ware with wdiich they have since flooded the 

 European markets. And this antimony w\are, be it remembered, is a 

 branch of the pewterer's trade. 



And now w^e come to the tw^o questions wdiich I have been working 

 up to, i. e., (i) are the pewter wares now being made equal in (puilily 

 and design to the average work of the best periods of bygone days? 

 and (ii) what are the future prospects of pewter as an art industry^ 



The latest cHtic on this subject, the writer just referred to, has 

 not one good w'ord for modern pewter. He says: 



In strivin.i; to nrrivo at '■ ai-t " pewter the mannfaoturera have producfvl the 

 wrong kind of alloy. It is far too crude and white, and has a nieretricivius 

 look, besides the fatal fault of almost looking like silver or electroplate 

 Aniithcr fault is that it is far too hrittlc and lianl. There is no nice feeling 

 in it ; it is. unlike old i»ewter, hard and repulsive to tlie touch. Again. * * * 

 satisfactory designs for pewter can not he extemporized by any designer, how- 

 ever cunning he may he at catching the public taste, so called, with a gaudy 

 cretonne or a meaningless wall paper. 



Happily, it is needless to add, there are many who hold more hope- 

 ful views on this subject, who consider a distinct advance has been 

 made already, and who believe that there is good promise for the 

 future. 



