214 
RERAMIC STUDIO 
No. 12 
Salt Altar, Pewter, XIII. Century— Cluny Museum, Paris 
many dishes of fine shapes, but simple, and with little 
decoration. We see nothing yet of the beautiful work 
which makes the glory of the XVI. century. Notwith- 
standing an abundant manufacture, we do not find any 
objects modeled and chased in fine relief. But the great 
development of the industry at that time led to a 
perfection and quality of work which we do not find in the 
earlier periods. 
When royal ordinances reserved the use of gold and 
silver for the nobility, and forbade it to the middle classes, 
the richer men of the latter station had objects made of 
pewter, which were both useful and sufficiently decorated 
to be classed as ornaments. These they placed on dressers, 
so that the beauty and brilliancy of the pieces might dec- 
orate the room in which they held their feasts and gather- 
ings. 
In addition to utensils for the decoration of dressers, 
pewterers made small plaques, called mereaux, many of 
which are found to-day. According to G. Bapst, these 
mereaux varied much in shape, purpose, and decoration; 
they even passed as money in places where such use was 
authorized. But their most important employment was 
as badges for members of societies and corporations, or 
in the markets as a means of supervision, and on mer 
chandise as a sign of guarantee. Some of them were dec- 
orated with the effigy and the insignia of the saint of the 
church in which they were sold to pilgrims. Inscribed on 
them were the prayers which the saint had the power to 
grant, and words in remembrance of the pilgrimage. There 
were other mereaux representing profane or popular sub- 
jects. 
Tiny boxes were also made, having handles, and 
pierced with a hole through which evidently a cord was 
passed, by which to suspend them. As these boxes are 
often delicately decorated in interesting relief, the con- 
stant handling and rubbing has given to the salient points 
No. 15 
Insignia in Pewter, XV. Century. (Abbaye du Mont St. Michel — Ed. Corroyer) 
a brilliancy of charming effect, while the background has 
remained dull. 
The production of these pewter objects being easy, 
their manufacture was extensive. In France, as well as 
in Germany, where the pewter industry became of great 
importance, the rules of the "Corporation of Tin Potters" 
were modified or increased as needs required, and when- 
; \ 
Pilgrim Horns. Pewter, XV. Centur; 
<lu Mont St. Michel— Ed. Corroyer) 
No. 13 
XIII. Century. XIV. Century. XVI. Century. 
Small ampullae. Pewter. Traces of gilding found on the XVI. century ampulla 
Cluny Museum, Paris. 
ever new objects were manufactured, which had not yet 
been made of this material. These rules became more and 
more strict, and there were even some which related to 
affairs outside the workshop. The master or chief of the 
workshop was selected after a competition in which he 
was expected to produce a master piece. The artisans 
were called "valets." 
The book of rules for the different trades controlled 
by the Corporations was written by Etienne Boileau (1254- 
1270), but from this it does not follow that pewterers had 
no rules of their own before that time. They were, it is 
