When I first arrived to live in France, all those 42 years ago, I was surprised to see how much old pewter turned up at markets and boot sales, at knock-down prices.
Knowing that such things were seen as 'valuable antiques' back in England, I decided to start a collection.
I bought lots of plates, forks, and spoons, and ended up with quite a large collection, which I still have. I don't look at them too often these days, in fact they are mostly packed away at the back of a cupboard.
When taking these few bits (above) out for a photo I was amazed by how flexible some of them are, suggesting that they possibly have a high Lead content; or, indeed, are 100% Lead. The small spoon (top) could almost be a prop for Uri Geller; you only have to look at it, and it bends.
Maybe the reason why people, in the past, died at a much younger age was because they stirred too much lead into their porridge!
N.B. I looked up my spoons on the net, where they were described as '19th Century French Antique Porridge Spoons', but I suspect that some wide-boy antique dealer was 'avin a larf!
Maybe the reason why people, in the past, died at a much younger age was because they stirred too much lead into their porridge!
N.B. I looked up my spoons on the net, where they were described as '19th Century French Antique Porridge Spoons', but I suspect that some wide-boy antique dealer was 'avin a larf!
Pewter and lead pipes probably did cause premature.
ReplyDeleteThe plate is beautiful.
Because the effects of lead poisoning are accumulative, the cutlery was probably just one of the sources. They even used red lead for making oranges look more attractive!
ReplyDeleteGood thing you didn't decide to use them.
ReplyDeleteI have not heard the name Uri Geller in years. Whatever happened to him and is he still spooning?
ReplyDeleteI believe he's still peddling his nonsense, and claiming to work for the FBI, et al. He needs a new trick!
DeleteThis might be a right reason. Because the average life expectancy in developing countries is less than the developed ones and our governments are not this serious on regulating lead and other heavy metals or synthetic/toxic stuff. Thankfully, happiness is distributed in a socialistic manner throughout the world.
ReplyDeleteI like table service like that; it fees substantial in the hand. I had service for twelve in a style similar to the fork pictures, except with three tines. (And stainless.) When we combined households it turned out my brother-in-law could not deal with "three legged forks" and the set went to the thrift shop.
ReplyDeleteI've always liked three-pronged forks; four seems unnecessary.
DeleteWell....it looks pretty anyway! A nice still life.
ReplyDeleteThey look nice, but I think I'll stick with stainless steel
ReplyDeleteJust think who might have eaten from that plate or with the spoons - real history.
ReplyDeleteI like the look of pewter and remembered being warned not to use any of it for eating because of the lead. Like Joanne, i like the three-pronged forks, too.
ReplyDelete