Some people consider pewter to be a cheap form of sterling silver, but it is far from that. Pewter is a wonderful metal with a long history. Pewter was historically an alloy of tin and lead and became popular for uses such as plates, mugs, and utensils back in the early times of Europeans. In the mid 1700’s the lead pewter was slowly vanishing and replaced by a non-leaded form of pewter due to health issues.
Today pewter is enjoying an enormous revival both in household items and in chandeliers. What used to be something the old world Europeans would use has become a popular type of chandelier. Pewter chandeliers were originally hammered or casted to give the stunning deep gray appearance. Nowadays for more affordability in pewter chandeliers, most manufacturers use a pewter finish to create a beautiful look for a lot less cost.
Original pewter chandeliers are hard to find, but not impossible. They have a very antique look to them, and they bring the look of a very heavy European metal. The newer pewter finished chandeliers try to stay with the same antique look, but are much lighter and easier to find. It can have a shiny polished look depending on the manufacturer but most prefer the darkeners that are added to give it more of an older burnished look. Depending on your home and where the chandelier is located you would lucky to have either the authentic pewter chandelier or the pewter finished chandelier.
December 14th, 2006 by Webmaster
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