Our Workshop
The Economuseum Concept
Amos Pewter is Canada's only Pewter Economuseum. Started in Quebec in 1992, the Economuseum Network's mission is to showcase traditional trades and skills. Visit www.artisansatwork.ca to find out about more this unique network that celebrates Canadian craftsmanship by showcasing Artisans at Work.
The Mahone Bay Workshop
As the first Nova Scotia member of the Quebecois Economuseum network, whose mission is to showcase traditional trades and skills, visitors at Amos Pewter will be introduced to techniques, both old and new, used in making pewter and the history of the pewter craft. (All interpretive panels are written in English and French.)
The store area displays all of the products designed and created in the workshop. We have a special play area for small children and for the plant lovers who visit, there is an interesting array of local plants to examine in the surrounding seaside gardens.
Group Tours
We'd love to give your group a guided tour through our workshop. Simply fill out our online form and our tour co-ordinator will contact you!
History of Pewter
Prized for its workability and beauty, pewter has survived for over 2,000 years. The use of pewter spans all countries and cultures. Over time pewter became the replacement for household items made of clay, leather and wood.
As the industry grew, guilds were formed throughout Europe. One of the largest and most influential was "The Worshipful Company of Pewterers" of London, which was formed in 1348. Guilds were given the power to regulate all aspects of the craft; from the training of an apprentice through to the composition of the pewter. Members of the guild were required to register "touch marks" which would identify their work. Little did these pewter smiths of old realize how valuable touch marks would become to the modern collector.
Pewter arrived in America with the colonists. Raw materials from England were heavily taxed, so pewterers reworked damaged goods from Europe and reclaimed metal to form new items. Noteworthy American pewter designs began to appear between the years 1750- 1850. Some of the recognized pewter masters from that era were: William Will, Robert Bonynge, Samuel Danforth, Peter Young and Parks Boyd. With the mass production of pottery and china toward the end of the 18th century and the introduction of electroplating, the use of pewter for utilitarian purposes declined. Towards the end of the 19th century The Arts and Craft movement brought a revival in the interest in handcrafted work and a renewed interest in the pewterer’s craft. Today pewter is studied, collected, displayed and treasured.
Designing Pewter Gifts & Keepsakes
We design and hand craft our unique gifts and collectibles at our Mahone Bay workshop. Ideas for our new products evolve from many sources, including objects found in nature and our coastal surroundings.
Concepts are developed by sketching or making rough models. Models can be made from almost any material, although a rigid green wax is most often used. A variety of tools, like jeweler's saws, scrapers, files and burnishers, are used to create the wax "original".
Casting
Making the Molds
Since the "original" wax carving will not withstand the heat and pressure of making a rubber production mold, pewter "prototypes" are made. The wax original is placed in white liquid rubber to which a hardener has been added. After curing, the original is removed from the mold, leaving a cavity. A "gate" or channel, through which molten pewter will flow, is cut in the rubber. Small vents are also cut to allow air to escape, aiding the flow of molten pewter into the cavities. The resulting pewter castings are finished to perfection, creating the masters or "prototypes" used in making the mold. Gates and vents are hand-cut in this mold.
The Casting Process
Molten pewter is poured through the funnel and into the center of the mold. Centrifugal force propels the molten pewter into the cavities. Perfect castings are set aside for finishing and the remaining pewter is recycled back into the melting pot for other castings.
Finishing Cast Pieces
After casting, excess metal, or "flash", around the edge of each pewter piece is removed. The gate, through which the molten pewter flowed into the cavity, is removed using snips or a sanding belt. Cast pieces are buffed on mildly abrasive cloth wheels to soften their edges. A satin finish is achieved by using wire brush in the final polishing process. To create a bright and easy-to-maintain finish, most of our jewelry pieces are polished in a vibrating tub.
Spinning
Spinning is the process of shaping pewter by bending a rotating disc into a shape on a lathe.
Designing Spunware
Designs are developed by "turning" or shaping a wood "chuck" on the lathe. When the design is established, a permanent chuck is turned from a threaded cylinder of aluminum or milled steel.
A pewter disc is placed between the chuck and the tailstock of the lathe, and then centered while it rotates by applying pressure against the disc with a wooden stick. Lubricating grease is applied to the disc to reduce friction.
Leveraging the "spinner’s finger" tool against the tool rest, the spinner applies even pressure to the spinning disc, working out to the edge and back in again, gradually forming the pewter around the chuck while maintaining a uniform thickness. Some shapes need extra thickness at the outer edge for strength. The result is a unique handcrafted piece each time.
Free-spinning
Finishing the Spun Shape
When expertly finished, a spun pewter piece reflects a radiance all its own. To achieve this finish, the spun object is positioned securely in specially designed holders on a lathe or "whirligig" turntable. This allows greater access to all edges and surfaces, including the interior. A series of graduated grits of sandpaper and other abrasives are applied to the surface of the rotating object, producing a perfectly even satin finish.
Multi-piece objects like candlesticks must be soldered together using an acetylene torch. Great skill is required for this delicate process because the tin-based solder melts just below the melting temperature of pewter.
Touchmarks
Early in the 16th century, marks became mandatory by an act of parliament, an obligation that would last for almost 150 years. Marks stamped on the bottom of a pewter object would indicate the master's symbol, usually his name or logo, and other elements indicating his guild, city, and country. As well, there were marks of capacity, marks of an inn or manor, and marks or monograms of titled or wealthy individuals.
While no longer required, craftspeople today often use maker's marks to advertise or identify their work. We at Amos Pewter are proud of our reputation as a maker of fine quality pewter products and are pleased to carry on an age-old tradition. Look for the Amos Pewter touchmark; it carries with it our commitment to exceed our customers' expectations for service, craftsmanship and design, which was adopted to mark the occasion of our 25th Anniversary, in 1999.