In domestic life pewter played an important part for many centuries in the past. In England its use is recorded in the 13th century. Edward I. is said to have owned over 30o vessels of pewter. The Pewterers' Company of the City of London had already been in existence for more than a century and a half when Edward IV. in 1473 presented its first charter granting the right of assay. London was not the only place of manufacture; pewter was produced in several other towns, among them being York, Newcastle, Exeter and Bristol. Although in great favour with the nobility and even with royalty in those days, its use soon became secondary to that of silver and with the middle classes it took the same place as silver among the wealthy.
In Elizabethan days Harrison relates that it had attained a high degree of popularity. The old men of his village, he says, had told him of "the exchange of vessels, as of treen platters" into pewter, and wooden spoons into silver or tin. "For so common were all sorts of treen stuff in old time that a man should hardly find four pieces of pewter in a good farmer's house . . . whereas in my time . . . will the farmer think his gains very small . . . if he have not . . . a fair garnish of pewter on his cupboard, with so much more in odd vessel going about the house." The craft of the pewter had obviously reached its zenith at that time, and its popularity continued for at least the two following centuries. Tankards, measures, plates and salvers were produced, the forms following those of silver but with the minimum of decoration, as was fitting for such a metal. Engraving is used at times; the Victoria and Albert museum, London, possesses two large dishes of the time of Charles II. decorated with arms and large flowers and fruit executed in a kind of zig-zag engraving, and a set of plates and dishes of the following century engraved with figure subjects in Hogarthian style. The use of pewter de clined during the 19th century, although employed for candle sticks, teapots, spoons and other domestic utensils; its manufac ture survives still for tankards and measures such as are needed in inns and in refreshment houses. The Art Nouveau move ment in the opening years of the present century witnessed an endeavour to revive the manufacture of pewter.
In France pewter is found in the 14th century in the form of drinking vessels, plates and salt-cellars, as well as cooking pots for the kitchen. Companies of pewterers existed in various towns,
and the trade was flourishing and vigorous. In the i6th century highly ornamented pieces are found, such as those associated with the name of Francois Briot, the greatest of French pewterers. His well-known Temperantia salver and ewer are covered with orna ment in relief. On the ewer are figures of the cardinal virtues, while on the dish are figures of Minerva and the seven arts, with the four elements. A figure of Temperance occupies the central boss, while the whole of the remaining surface is filled with relief ornament. A medallion portrait of Briot appears on the reverse of the dish. Another salver of similar character shows scenes from the story of the Prodigal Son on the outer rim in relief ; two inner borders of strapwork, masks, and other ornament surround a cen tral enamelled boss. Fine examples are preserved in the Cluny museum, Paris. Much good pewter was produced during the 17th and i8th centuries. At the end of the 19th century several crafts men produced good decorative pewter worthy of the older tradi tions of the art, and following the style of the i6th century workers.
Germany had an established industry of pewter at Augsburg and Nuremberg in the 14th century, Belgium and Holland perhaps earlier ; Switzerland must have been working about the same time, as well as Russia and the Scandinavian countries. There is a greater variety of vessels and a wider application of usefulness than in England or Scotland. The treatment of pewter in relief is much more common, and it may easily be imagined how pewter found a natural home with the wood-panelled German or Swiss room for its setting. A pewter cistern and basin often of fanci ful shape was a necessary adornment of the Swiss sideboard, while German hostels afforded much in the way of tankards and other drinking vessels. Some German pieces appear to have been purely ornamental, as for example the plates with portraits of emperors in relief or with medallions of Bible scenes. Caspar Enderlein of Nuremberg imitated the designs of the French pewterer, Francois Briot, and produced a copy of his Temperantia dish. An unusual treatment of tankards shows a wooden vessel inlaid with pewter scrollwork, while in others the pewter is inlaid with brass.