Irish Pewter. Irish Pewter

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1 1 Irish Pewter This article is kindly written by the foremost published UK authority on Irish Pewter David Hall For further reading, books written by David are detailed at the end of this article. David tells us that the pictures herein are his (and thus the copyright thereto) and are in large part taken from pieces he owns or has owned. He is happy to consent to this websites readers downloading what they wish for personal study. He does not consent for anyone at all, without his express permission, to copy and publish the text and pictures elsewhere. Irish Pewter Anybody who wants to collect Irish pewter needs to recognise the limitations as to what is available. He or she must expect to find only pieces made at the very earliest in the late 17 th century and only pieces made in Dublin, Cork, Waterford or its environs and Belfast. There are records of pewterers being in Ireland in the 15 th century but they seem to have left virtually nothing behind them. At the end of the medieval period, in the early decades of the 16 th century, Ireland was not the kind of place where there would have been much of a market for pewter. The writ of the English King, as Lord of Ireland, only ran in a number of towns and the limited areas around them. The country was divided into many Lordships some ruled by the descendants of Norman invaders but rather more by Gaelic Lords. The latter were often made unstable by disputes within the ruling Clan, the population was low, the economy was largely based on barter and renders in kind and trade was very limited. All this was to change in the next hundred and fifty years; these changes would only be achieved after a series of wars, much destruction and bloodshed and very considerable social change. By the late 1690s Ireland was a unitary state with a single legal system and a legislature, an increasing population, a cash economy, a dominant landlord class, many more towns and a developing overseas trade. This was the kind of society in which there would be a growing market for consumer products such as pewter. This demand could be met in part by importing goods, largely from England. It could also be met by a growth in local production. The craftsmen and masters needed to develop this local production were initially largely immigrants, some from England and Wales, from Scotland and a few Huguenots refugees from France.

2 2 The products these craftsmen made naturally reflected their origins and training, which can make it difficult to decide whether an item was made in Ireland or not. As the 18 th century progressed some of the imported designs and styles were adapted and changed to meet the requirements of the Irish market. Although there is evidence of a scatter of pewterers across Ireland significant production was limited to Dublin, Cork, the Waterford area. and Belfast. It is noticeable that as in North America designs and styles changed far more slowly than in say London. By the 19 th century there is evidence of some English and Scottish pewterers making products in Irish styles for export to Ireland, sometimes sold through Irish wholesalers who put their own marks on the pieces. For convenience the products of Irish pewterers will be discussed under the following headings, church pewter, flatware, measures, pub pots and tankards and miscellaneous. Church Pewter Flagons and communion cups/chalices were made from the end of the 17 th century through to the 19 th century as far as is known essentially in Dublin. The flagons (some may have been for domestic rather than church use) and communion cups were used in Protestant Churches and the chalices for Roman Catholic worship. The earliest known Irish flagons reflect the English beefeater style on the second half of the 17 th century. Around the middle of the 18 th century they began to be replaced by a dome lidded flagons although some body and handle moulds continued in use. Protestant communion cups, with their larger bowls, were essentially prefabricated from pieces made for other types of vessel and the smaller Roman Catholic Chalices similarly. Examples are shown below of all these types:

3 3 Figure 1. An Irish beefeater type flagon with a pair of communion cups. Figure 2. An Irish dome lidded flagon.

4 4 Figure 3. An Irish Roman Catholic chalice. Flatware One or two possible Irish made items of flatware exist from the end of the 17 th century but there is considerable disagreement as to whether they were made in Ireland or not. From the 1720s on there is more certainty and pieces carrying Dublin maker s marks and from a little later items carrying Cork marks. These are either single reeds or plain rims. Circa 1740 Dublin pewterers started making plates in the then current English style with plain but broader rims. Although this design goes out of fashion in London within perhaps twenty years, most plates made in Dublin and later on in Waterford continue with the broader rim; well into the 19 th century. This makes it easier to spot such plates among many others. Production in Cork tends to follow English styles more closely until the 19 th century when some broader rim pieces were made. As well as plates and bowls some of the larger pewterers made dishes and even chargers (over 18 inches in diameter). Irish flatware of the 18 th and 19 th centuries is almost always marked on the back with the maker s touch, hallmarks and labels and often with owners initials in a triad form; one of these arrays is illustrated below. Unfortunately, as with Wales, flatware was often displayed in Ireland face to the wall. This means the fronts can be corroded and the backs highly polished. Maker s marks can be polished off as a result.

5 5 Figure 5. A 14½ inch deep single reed dish made circa 1740 in Dublin by the pewterer Edmund Burroughs, see the marks illustrated suggesting the business was set up in Figure 6. A typical 9½ inch broader rimmed Dublin plate made by William Simson of Ormond Quay in the mid 18 th century, with his touch off the back.

6 6 Figure 7. A Cork 9 inch diameter plate made by William Rogers ( ) with a narrower rim. The hallmarks are those of an early Cork pewterer believed to be Charles Collins. Figure 8. A 9 inch plate made in Waterford by Charles Clarke who was active from the late 1780s to The plate resembles Dublin products as do Clarke s hallmarks. Figure 9. A 16½ inch dish made by Charles Clarke s successor Samuel Woods circa 1840, still with a fairly broad rim, Wood s touch marks are shown below.

7 7 Figure 10. The array of marks on the back of a typical Dublin 18 th century 9 inch plate. These include an English block Tin label, double struck touches, a Crowned X and hallmarks including the initials SS and an Irish harp. Also an ownership triad engraved, rather than is usual that is punched. Measures Pewter made measures were widely used in Ireland in the 18 th, 19 th and even the 20 th century. They are best considered in four groups, Irish balusters, duck and hen, haystacks and bellied. Irish baluster measures represent a simplified from of the classic baluster measures that were made elsewhere in the British Isles and North America. In the classic form such measures have flat lids, a handle and thumb piece. Somewhere around the middle of the 18 th century pewterers in Ireland began making such measures without handles and lids etc. Such simpler measures were obviously cheaper to make and almost as serviceable. Few survive from this early period and only one is known bearing a maker s mark, that of Edmund Burroughs.

8 8 The reason for the poor survival of these earlier Irish baluster measures may be because they were made to conform to Irish measure. It may surprise many but the Irish pint was distinctly smaller than the contemporary English ale pint. A modern Imperial pint contains twenty fluid ounces; an Irish measure pint by comparison holds only fluid ounces. Although Irish measure had a statutory basis no provision was made in the Act of Union in 1800 for its continuation and in any case all existing measures were subject to possible replacement in 1826 with the introduction of Imperial Measure. As a result the continued use of Irish measure capacity baluster would have been dubious after 1800 and illegal after After that date if a Weights and Measures Inspector came across an Irish capacity baluster in use he would have demanded that it be taken out of use and destroyed. Very few now survive all of those known being of gill capacity. Despite the outlawing of Irish measure Irish type balusters continued to be made and used throughout the 19 th century and into the 20 th ; a number of Dublin pewterers continued to make these measures, as did Austen of Cork and later in the century pewterers in Birmingham and Manchester (for export to Ireland). There were also a number versions of such measures for which no maker is known. One particular type may have been made in Belfast later in the 19 th century. Some Dublin wholesalers who imported balusters made in England had them marked with their own names. The existing evidence suggests Irish baluster were only ever made in sizes from the half-pint down. During the 19 th century English made bellied measures were also imported into Ireland and one Dublin pewterer is known to have made a version of such a measure. Some of the imports were made deliberately without handles, so as to echo the Irish baluster, while Scottish measures without lids or handles were exported to the north of Ireland from Glasgow. Figure 11. An 18 th century Irish baluster measure made to hold an Irish measure gill.

9 9 Figure 12. Three Dublin post 1826 Figure 13. Another post 1826 Irish baluster measure probably made gill Irish baluster made by Merry by the Hodges. of Dublin. Figure 14. A half-pint Cork made baluster. Figure 15. A gill baluster, maker unknown, possibly in Belfast.

10 10 Figure 16. Four Birmingham made Irish baluster measures. Figure 17. A Glasgow made version of the Irish baluster, Imperial gill capacity. Figure 18. A rare bellied measure made by Merry of Dublin, likewise an Imperial gill, but marked in typical Dublin style a Naggin. In Cork the term Noggin was used.

11 11 Figure xx. A twentieth century quarter-gill Irish baluster measure. To the rim a post 1922 Irish verification mark and two figure date marks covering the period 1949 to Under the base the mark of W.G.Edmonds & Co. and Dublin. Far less well struck is a Made in England label. The item was sold in Dublin by Edmonds but was probably made by Gaskell and Chambers in Birmingham. DUCK & HEN There are two other two types of measure that are linked by an association with Cork. First there is the so-called duck and hen. At one time these were thought to be two ended eggcups, designed for a hen s egg in one end and a duck s egg in the other. The problem is that many of these pieces bear capacity marks and verification marks. This makes it clear that they were measures. Such measures were made both on the Continent and in England in the 17 th century, often used by apothecaries. Some were used in 18 th century Ireland but they were far more common in the 19 th century. Most of these 19 th century measures seem to have been made by either Joseph Austen or his Munster Iron Company successors in Cork. The latter two businesses also made nearly all of the Irish haystack measures.

12 12 Figure 19. A typical Cork duck and hen measure. Simple in design, none so far has been found bearing a maker s mark. Their origin was established by looking at the capacity labelling which is often the same as on other Cork measures. Figure 20. Another leady Irish duck and hen measure of unknown provenance. THE PEWTER HAYSTACK MEASURE The pewter haystack measure is in the view of many the iconic piece of Irish pewter. Their popularity has unfortunately led to the production in the 20 th century of many reproductions, both in Britain and in the USA, of which more later. Modern research has established that rather than being an Irish speciality these haystack measures were a speciality of the City of Cork. The earliest known examples were made by Joseph Austen, circa 1800 and conformed to Irish measure. In the past it was argued they were copies of the current West Country conical English measures, however, contemporary adverts say that Austen developed them as an alternative to copper harvester measures (always popular in Ireland), as copper reacted with certain liquids such as vinegar.

13 13 With the introduction of Imperial Measure in 1826 the Austens redesigned their haystacks and in this form they continued to be made, with minor variations, for most of the 19 th century and probably into the 20 th century. Circa 1846 the Austens sold their pewter making business to the Gibbings who in due course set up the Munster Iron Company. Although the Munster Company was formed sometime in the 1850s haystacks continued to be marked with the famous Austen touch until circa One other Cork pewterer also made his own version of the haystack measure, W. Seymour, following the introduction of Imperial measure. His products are very rare. Another merchant, James Hogg, who was based in Cork and Limerick, bought Austen haystacks and had his own name put on them. No example of a Dublin made haystack has yet been found but at least one Dublin wholesaler is known to have bought West Country type measures in Birmingham and to have sold them in Ireland. The popularity of the haystack led in the 20 th century to the making of reproductions in England and the USA. Examples of these reproductions were bought by dishonest traders and faked to look like the real thing. Haystacks were made by the Austens in seven sizes, from half-gill to gallon. Far more gills, half-pints and pints were made than any other size and in particular very few half-gills. Gallon haystacks if dropped when full were likely to split so their survival was also always under threat. You can therefore come across sets of haystacks made up with a fake half-gill and gallon as well as wholly faked sets. Some reproductions have by now aged considerably making their identification more difficult. Figure 21. An Austen marked pint haystack measure with the classic Austen touch under the base (oversize).

14 14 Figure 22. A quart haystack made by W.Seymour with the touch under the base (oversize). Comparison with Austen quarts shows that Seymour used different body and handle moulds. Figure 23. An example of the West Country type measure imported into Ireland from Birmingham where they were made.

15 15 Figure 24. The Munster Company version of the famous touch (oversize). Figure 25. A reproduction half-gill probably made in Birmingham subsequently worked on by one of the fakers. Figure 26. A modern Birmingham made reproduction haystack. Pub Pots and Tankards

16 16 Most who know Ireland and even many who do not will be aware of the important part the pub plays in social life. That for some considerable period pewter pots were used in pubs would seem to follow automatically. The earliest examples of such pots that are extant started life in the 18 th century. The Dublin examples continued the trend of mixing old and new styles. Many of them had two banded bodies that essentially went out fashion in London in the early 18 th century while the handles were what today are called broken or double C style. The latter were a product of the introduction of the Rococo designs in the 1730s and 1740s. Once more Cork seems to follow current English design ideas more closely. Figure 27. A two banded Dublin pot with a so-called broken handle. Made in Dublin circa 1780 and holding an Irish measure pint Figure 28. A Cork pint made by Joseph Austen probably in the 1790s. Although in style terms it looks more modern it still holds an Irish measure pint. The changes made with the Act of Union and the introduction of Imperial; measure seem to have resulted in such Irish measure pots mostly been destroyed; certainly the number that survive today is quite small.

17 17 The introduction of Imperial Measure must have provided Irish pewterers with a welcome opportunity to sell more new pots and they continued to meet a considerable part of the demand for such pewter vessels for much of the rest of the 19 th century. Some pots were undoubtedly imported from England. Much of the Irish production was concentrated on the truncated cone and concave type of pot, with items being made in quantity in Cork and Dublin and some apparently in Belfast. Other styles, such as the tulip, seem to have been far less popular. Figure 29. A typical Imperial measure Dublin made pint pot, provided with punched pub inscriptions referring to a pub in Swords just outside of Dublin. Figure 30. A mid 19 th century tulip half-pint pot made in Dublin. Once again it bears a punch letter ownership inscription.

18 18 Figure 31. An Imperial Dublin made concave quart pot, once again a punched letter ownership inscription. Figure 32. Three Cork made Imperial truncated cone pots, from quart to half-pint. Figure 33. Three Cork made Imperial concave pots, from quart to half-pint.

19 19 Figure 34. The apparent maker s marks off a Belfast concave pint pot. As far as lidded tankards are concerned the evidence they were made in Ireland is extant, for example in the dome lids used to make the feet of Dublin communion cups, but example are very rare. In truth your author only knows of one possible example. Miscellaneous As in other countries a variety of other things were made in pewter in the 18 th and 19 th centuries. Perhaps as interesting is what does not seem to have been made or at least to have survived. Included would be, in addition to tankards mentioned above, lidded baluster measures, porringers, peppers and salts (only one of the latter known), tazzas, welsh hats (used in commodes), capstan inkwells, teapots, etc. This still leaves quite a wide field and few selected examples are shown below:

20 20 Figure 35. A lidded box made in Cork. Such boxes are usually thought of as being containers for tobacco, however, none of those found so far has a damper. It seems, therefore, they were intended for say tea rather than tobacco. Figure 36. An Irish communion token. Figure 37. An Irish cube inkwell made by John Heaney of Dublin. Other standishes survive. Figure 38. An early 18 th century Dublin made spoon.

21 21 Figure 39. A 19 th century flask made by L&R Merry of Dublin. Figure 40. A salt made by the Hodges of Dublin for the Kilmainan Hospital (this was a place like Chelsea for old soldiers). The only recorded Irish salt.

22 22 Figure 41. A seal box made by John Heaney of Dublin; such seal boxes were usually made of tin plate, at least three Irish pewter made ones are known. Footnote It is the way of the World that as soon as you publish something it is out of date. I await with interest any response to the above, which offers new information. Further Reading: Hall, D.W., Irish Pewter a History, Pewter Society, Hall, D.W., Types of Irish Pewter, The National Museum of Ireland in association with the author, 2005.