Pewter Marks
By David Langridge

Many newcomers to the collecting of antique pewter are puzzled by the nomenclature given to the various marks found on pieces that have come into their possession. Much pewter will be found without markings of any sort, indeed, in some cases, marks found on pieces which should not have marks indicate that they are not "right" and should be treated with grave suspicion!

Marks that are found fall into seven main categories: Touches, ‘Hallmarks’, Town Marks, Quality Marks, Labels, Excise Capacity Marks and Owners Marks.

Touches: These are, in the main, early, and should be personal to the master craftsman who has recorded them on a touchplate at the appropriate Guild Hall. There are records of guilds in Europe as early as in the 12th and 13th centuries but it was not until the mid 16th century when the powers of the guilds were at their height that references to the striking of a touch can be found. In London an apprentice to a master pewterer had to serve at least seven years. Before he was allowed to strike his own " touch " he had to be presented to the court of the Pewterer's Company and show an example of his work. After providing proof that he had sufficient capital to start a business of his own he was then allowed to strike his mark on the touchplate of the Company, to which he was then admitted. The design of the touch would be very individual, sometimes including items such as the craftsman's name or initials, a pictorial representation of a pewterer's tool such as a hammer or a pig to indicate that his name was Bacon and perhaps a pistol for John Gunn.. A study of these marks will show that the design and style changes over the years and thus can assist dating of pieces to a degree.

‘Hallmarks’: These three or four, sometimes five, small marks were used from the 17th century to imitate the marks used by silversmiths and again should be personal to the master craftsman. Their use was frowned upon and protests were made by the Goldsmiths' Company and their use was consequently banned. This ban, however, was flagrantly ignored and the use of these marks continued throughout the 18th century.

Townmarks: Usually of heraldic design, often using part of the arms, seal or emblem of the town or city. These marks were rendered obsolete when it became common practice from the 18th century to include the town in the mark of the maker.

Quality Marks: Initially used to denote superior metal or craftsmanship but quickly denigrated into general use. Often a simple "X", often crowned, also the crowned English Tudor Rose, which came into use in the 16th century. At first used on export goods, it was soon copied on the continent because at that time quantities of English tin were used by French pewterers. This caused confusion and much discussion. Thereafter differing designs and sizes were used and, as a very general rule, the continental mark can be distinguished by radial lines which are not on the English Tudor Rose. The Crowned "X" and the Crowned Tudor Rose are often erroneously refered to as the ‘London Mark’ by persons wishing to give a piece an embellishment which it may not deserve. There is no definitive mark which can be called the ‘London Mark’. There are many hundreds of them!

Labels: Took many shapes and forms. Many bear legends such as ‘Best English Tin’, ‘Best French Metal’, ‘Made In London’ and so on. They could be considered as advertising banners. Do not rely on them for provenance.

Excise Capacity Marks: Excise marks appear on vessels which have been made for the purpose of holding liquids, either for drinking or measuring. They are sometimes mistaken by the uninitiated for the mark of the maker. Local devices, such as the Horse Forcene, for Kent and the Liver Bird, for Liverpool, were used by many boroughs, towns and districts. Early marks were often based on royal cyphers and were again of many different forms but a uniform system of marking was introduced in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. This consisted of a crown over the initials of the reigning sovereign, usually in an oval. Obviously these marks can be of assistance in dating.

Owners Marks: Commonly plain stamped initial letters of the owners names, sometimes also engraved coats-of-arms and family crests. The latter are, of course, a great help in establishing provenance, and, to a lesser extent, dating. Family crests speak for themselves and the style of engraving changes over the years.

The illustration shows the marks on a 9" plate by Henry Little of London, c.1750. Firstly, the touchmark of Henry Little, then the crowned rose quality mark. Underneath these two marks is a label, H.LITTLE IN LONDON. In the centre, the owners initials, stamped in triangular form, the upper being the surname and the lower the Christian names of husband and wife. At the bottom, the "Hallmarks" of Henry Little, appearing upside down in the image as the plate would be turned of course, to impress the marks.