OLD PEWTER

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 300, 19 September 1928, Page 19

OLD PEWTER

Contrary to the general public opinion as to the selection of antiques, pewtei should be chosen primarily lor its ornamental worth, and be with an sense of proportion and instinct lor t beautiful will be the more likely to had a real treasure (says an American ui t • The serious study of old pewter is tin. work of a lifetime. Volumes have bee written on one type of piece alone, sucll as the pewter lamp, for example, to s. y nothing of hundreds of dissertations oil hall-marks and touch-marks. Despite tnc thousands of collectors, there is stil . 'occasional find sufficiently old and fine to give a charming note in a home it it be only well displayed. Collecting old pewter, is one of the most difficult of the antique hobbies, as it has been, and is, so easily Inked. 101 pewter is still pewter, and the composin B elements have remained the same out the ages. An alloy in which the chief - gradients are tin and lead, it form®, rmportant link in the development of tableware from wood to china. 1' ust ap pearing commonly in company with woo - enware, trenchers and the like, it B>adu ally gained place in the homes ot the rich. Then little by little it was. finally relegated entirely to the servants hall. In the fourteenth century pewter was made largely in imitation of the riche silver, the bourgeoisie contenting itself with the fact that it was at least ‘a iacon d’argent.” But for all that the best pewterers were artists. They knew the limitations of their material, and. the most beautiful of the pieces remaining to-day are those of the simple lines suitable to this metal. , . .. „„ In France, as in other countries, there were regulations as to the standard ot the manufactured pewter, and each piece was required to bear the poincon de controle or inspector’s stamp, as well as the poincon de maitre, or the mark or the maker. At the end of the thirteenth century pewter was already of enough importance to be named in official documents. Imm we find mentioned by .lean Jeadun tnat in 1380 Michelet le Breton supplied to Charles VI 6 dozen dishes and 12 dozen ccuelles of such and such a weight. “One of the most satisfactory methods of treating the kitchen is 'to use a pine floor and cover it with a good grade ot linoleum. An exposed floor in the kitchen, even if painted, is likely to prqie disappointing, as both flooring and paint are sure to wear along the line of travel and spoil the original pleasant appealmice. A tile floor is excellent from a sanitary point, of view, but some argue that it is hard on the feet, and that it is necessary to use rubber or other mats to obtain comfort. “Probably the most remarkable achievement in the recent, linole.um development has been the invention of handsome tile inlaid examples. The durable qualities of linoleum are well known, as it has been proved over and over again that linoleum will often last the lifetime of the modern house. “One reason for the longevity of linoleum floor is due to the manner of correct laying. Linoleum, in order to be durable, should be laid very carefully, and, if possible, have under it a layer of deadening felt cemented to the floor surface. This method ensures an absolute even surface, and prevents cracking or buckling of the linoleum due to expansion or shrinkage of floor boards. The layer of deadening felt, besides making the floor warmer, serves a means of absorbing the strain of any slight movement which the floor boards may have, leaving the linoleum uninjured and still firmly fixed to the floor boards. “The care of linoleum after it is laid is another factor in promoting its long life. The best way to ensure long service is to wax it immediately upon installation. A waxed linoleum floor kept in good condition will be subject to very little wear. Strong alkali soaps of chemicals should be avoided, as they tend to deteriorate the linoleum more than the actual wear. “If linoleum is waxed properly, there is rarely’ any occasion to wash it more than four times a year, inasmuch as frequent dusting and sweeping will gather up all the particles of dust. “Originally used as a mere floor covering, linoleum has now been developed as a modern, practical, and artistic floor covering, and now demands recognition ns one of the outstanding achievements in distinctive floors.”

In the general scheme of a home pewter is undoubtedly harder to handle than is brass or copper whose colour lends themselves more readily to any interior. It does not harmonise with china, and it is almost always a mistake to mix it on a shelf with articles of porcelain or even of other metals. If one has a fairly goodsized collection it will be 4 far more effective if shown en masse, nnd if possible it should become the keynote of the room.

An old French or Welsh or Colonial open-faced dresser with shelves is an ideal piece of furniture on which to arrange a collection. One of the most charming of the few Paris pewter shops, whose owner is a connoisseur and collector, has its whole stock attractively displayed on old provincial “vaisseliers.” A soft deep blue is perhaps the very best colour to set off the inimitable sheen of old pewter; or, the backs of the shelves may be lined with old toile de jouy in tones of rose. Dull orange-yellow is good too, and certain greens, but avoid tans and whitish tones. They give a hard look to the shimmering gray. Oval platters and the larger plates form the best kind of background to the “piehets” and “buires” or their English eousins, flagons and beakers, which are hung in front of them. Ou the polished top below the shelves may stand the old peasant soupiere still found in France, flanked by the round spoon ruck which in France replaces the old English spoon box. Back of them nre ranged the all important ccuelles or porringers with their quaint ears. If the collection is one or two prized plates or platters and perhaps two quaint shaped candlesticks, put them on the mantelpiece on a piece of soft coloured brocade. If you have also a pet beaker, range it front of the platter, bearing in mind the shape of your composition 'against the wall space or mirror behind it. A spray of bittersweet and tinted candles will give a note of colour if it is needed.

Old inkstands, much beloved of pewter collectors, are lovely where they naturally belong, on an old inlaid desk or if it is left open, iri its cubby holes, for old pewter is ever at home with old wood. In one French home a small collection of gleaming handle-less mugs was placed on an old pewter tray and left casually on a low table for the firelight to play on. If you are a spoon or a salt-cellar specialist, the quaint, “rat-tailed” utensils are well displayed in a painted Normandy or Dutch wall rack with the saltcellars ranged below them on the top of chest of drawers or lowboy. An old armoire of carved wood is charming with a procession of old pewter measures pf graduated size marching across its top, but always, consider the outline of your pewter composition against the wall space behind it. and also the colour of that background. Those two things will go far toward making artistic decoration out of perhaps historic treasure. SUMMARY OF TENDERS CLOSING DURING THE PERIOD SEPTEMBER 10 TO OCTOBER 3. A. Victor Smith. —Tenders erection of a residence in brick. Lower Hutt. Close noon, September 20. Robin Hood. —Tenders erection of factory and garage, Miramar. Close noon. September 22. A. AV. Climie and Son.—Tenders supply of stool pipes. Close 2 p.m., September 24. A. Victor Smith.—Tenders erection of residence i.. wood. Miramar. Close noon, September 2(>. Hutt, County Council. —Tenders for laying mains. Close noon, Friday, September 2.8. Oamaru Harbour Board. —Supply of ironbark piles. Close September 29. Invercargill Borough Council. —Tenders for erection of Orel! bridge. Close 4 p.m., Tuesday, October 2. P.W.D.—Tenders construction of pavement Christchurch-Dunedin Main Highway,. .Close 4 P,ui.» .October 2.