Until the Industrial Revolution, when mass produced porcelain and imported china became widely available in the United States, many everyday bowls, plates, dishes, and cups were made of pewter. One of the most famous American pewterers of the mid-eighteenth century was Thomas Danforth II, considered one of the pioneers of the craft in this country. Though the Danforth family ceased pewter production when the demand faded, a new generation took up the craft in 1975, drawing inspiration from some of the early family designs. Today, Fred and Judi Danforth carry on the family tradition in their studio in Middlebury. Pewter is made by melting tin in a cast iron pot and adding antimony, copper and sometimes bismuth.
Tin is a brittle ore by itself.
The addition of the other elements helps strengthen it, creating an alloy that can be easily cast and molded, and is resistant to tarnish. It can be polished to a high sheen or be allowed to slowly oxidize, resulting in a rich patina finish. Most modern pewter is about 91 percent tin, 7.5 percent antimony and 1.5 percent copper. Antimony replaced lead in pewter in the 1800's when it was discovered that it produced a more durable and brilliant metal. Antimony also had the added benefit of making pewter safer to eat off of by eliminating the lead content.