The only previous book on Scottish Pewter was Ingleby Wood’s seminal work ‘Scottish Pewter Wares and Pewterers, published in 1904.  Since then further items have been identified, but even more has lain unrecognised in reserve collections of museums, in heritage centres and in municipal archives.   Past-President Peter Spencer Davies has spent six years of research, travelling the length and breadth of Scotland and now brings all of this new material together in what will be the standard reference work.

The introductory chapters cover the historical background and information on the composition of the alloys used, methods of manufacture, and the decoration and types of marks to be found on pewter. Recent transcriptions of the records of the Incorporation of Hammermen of Edinburgh have been consulted and used to bring to life the day to day organisation of the craft of the pewterer.

However, probably of greatest interest to pewter collectors are the chapters on the pewter wares, containing high quality images of every known type of pewter object, categorised by use in the Church, in the home, and in commerce, and  including the rich variety of lidded measures and tavern pots.  In the course of the study a large number of previously unknown pewterers were discovered both in Edinburgh and in provincial towns, and their marks have been recorded.  The names and working dates of all known pewterers are to be found in appendices to the book, whilst the main Appendix contains line drawings of  their marks, following the style originally adopted by Cotterell in his ‘Old Pewter, its Makers and marks’.

The information contained in the book should make it a simple matter to identity and date any piece of Scottish pewter, and if marked, to close-date the pewterer who made it as well.

Scottish Pewter 1600-1850 by Peter Spencer Davies

John Donald, Edinburgh 2014

You can purchase this new book directly from the Pewter Society for £25

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