To maintain the glorious deep shine that is unique to pewter give a regular buff with a soft cloth, or preferably, with a silver polishing cloth. For a more thorough job, wash in warm soapy water and thoroughly dry before polishing.
We can include a silver cloth in your order, which will last you many months if kept in its packet to prevent drying out. This can also be used to polish all your silver.
Silver
All the silver products on our website are made from sterling silver, otherwise known as 925 silver. This has a minimum silver content of 92.5%. To maintain its shine regularly buff with a silver polishing cloth. All jewellery over 7.78 grams is hallmarked to UK Assay regulations.
For general information about the sources of our products please click on 'about us' at the top.
Pewter, Tin and Cornwall
The west of Cornwall has a long and anchient history of tin production. Long before the arrival of the Romans, the Phoenicians used to come to Cornwall to trade for tin. The patron saint of Cornwall, St Piran, is also the patron saint of tinners, who according to legend, sailed from Ireland on a millstone and discovered how to smelt tin when he lit his fire over the rocks containing tin ore. All the metals of modern pewter as well as the lead that was used in old pewter were mined in Cornwall.
Pewter itself rose in popularity from the middle ages onward, replacing wooden tableware in well-to-do households. Enduring and malleable pewter acquires an attractive patina with age and can be fashioned into almost any form desired. During the hayday of the British Empire, tin mining flourished and Cornish pewterware was exported to all corners of the world. Reminders of this heritage are all over the cliffs and moors in the picturesque ruins of the granite engine houses.
Although, sadly, Cornish tin mining is no longer, due to the low world price of tin, however the tradition of pewter making continues with the craftmanship of companies such as St. Justin of Penzance and Piran Pewter of Padstow.
The artist / designer creates an original "master" or sculpture from which rubber moulds are made. High quality pewter ingots are fused in a crucible and the molten metal ladled into the moulds. After cooling and finishing, the castings are then hand-polished to the glorious deep shine that is unique to pewter. Gemstones are then set, clips and other findings spot-welded into position.
