Pewter Plate - Is This Colonial?

goldcoastwayne · Jul 21, 2010

When it comes to identifying colonial cobs...I have no problems. This one is a problem....Below is a 6 inch pewter plate. I know very little about Pewter touch marks. At the top of the plate is a "flag type emblem". On the reverse there are several maker's touch marks (that picture may be upside down)...it appears to be a tree with the numbers '69 next to it....1769

I have a gut feeling this is colonial..what do you think?? What do the three stars signify

Any help with identification would be very much appreciated. :dontknow:

goldcoastwayne

Bigcypresshunter · Jul 22, 2010

Sorry Wayne I dont know anything about old pewter. The touch marks look cool. The stars and stripes shield- wouldnt that mean its post 1777? :dontknow:

goldcoastwayne · Jul 22, 2010

That's a great question.....but the 3 stripes that are on the diagonal...what do you make of that? The symbol actually seems to be quite "stiff and proper" to me...I know I have seen it before, I just can't remember where. Almost like something from the Federal Period (1790 - 1830)..so I have no idea of the '69 on back. Knowing the source and location, it could well be from that period. I have hunted, but the pewter collectors don't appear to have a forum like this. I have looked on websites both American and European and am coming up empty handed. I have been warned that searching down obscure touch marks can be quite a project. Thanks for looking....I had the feeling that you might be the one to solve this...so could this be later and maybe the foundry was created 1769?

Just a thought...could the 3 stars signify that of a Lieutenant General? http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/us^ar3s.html ...did the revolutionary army or even the confederate army or union army ever use the symbol on the front of this plate? The Civil War is a later period, but is plausible in this case...the site was near both Revolutionary War battles and Civil War.

goldcoastwayne

IronSpike · Jul 22, 2010

Not familiar with pewter or it's markings, however did find this link with verification mark system on British pewter:

http://www.antique-metalware.co.uk/verification.html

Not sure the 69 is a verification mark nor whether your piece is British :dontknow:

goldcoastwayne · Jul 22, 2010

Thanks for your input Iron Spike..we will get to the bottom of this one. Verification marks are used for measure such as pub or tavern mugs...I believe that the '69 marking to be a touch mark...
http://www.pewtercollectorsclub.org/marks.html
I applied to join the Pewter Collectors' Club of America. From there I am hoping to get this identified by the members. When I find out anything more, I will post it for everyone...but I am still certainly inviting the suggestions and intuitions of everyone on TNet. I appreciate all comments. :icon_thumleft:

goldcoastwayne

Lucas · Jul 22, 2010

Three stars... part of a coat of arms. Just a high class monogram, more or less. Very similar to the arms George Washington used, only his stripes were horizontal.

goldcoastwayne · Jul 22, 2010

Lucas said:
Three stars... part of a coat of arms. Just a high class monogram, more or less. Very similar to the arms George Washington used, only his stripes were horizontal.

Thanks for the input Lucas....I think you are heading in the right direction...this one could get interesting.

goldcoastwayne

DCMatt · Jul 22, 2010

Lucas said:
Three stars... part of a coat of arms. Just a high class monogram, more or less. Very similar to the arms George Washington used, only his stripes were horizontal.

GW Coat of Arms:

DCMatt

Lucas · Jul 22, 2010

The coat of arms shield looks stamped... :icon_scratch:

Stamps are expensive... like they were going to stamp hundreds... i.e. I have the feeling this piece is fairly modern, and the coat of arms was on all of this line of pewter. $:-\$

goldcoastwayne · Jul 22, 2010

Lucas said:
The coat of arms shield looks stamped...

Stamps are expensive... like they were going to stamp hundreds... i.e. I have the feeling this piece is fairly modern, and the coat of arms was on all of this line of pewter. $:-\$

Hmmm....maybe one of our founding fathers threw big parties! :laughing7:

This is from a location very close to Washington, DC...I don't think that the cost was any concern to the owner. :wink:

goldcoastwayne

Lucas · Jul 22, 2010

Owners would have had items engraved... it's a lot classier. Stamp = mass produced.

goldcoastwayne · Jul 22, 2010

Lucas said:
Owners would have had items engraved... it's a lot classier. Stamp = mass produced.

Thanks for the observation Lucas....I would like to hope you are wrong...but you could well be right...I don't know enough about this subject material to render a true opinion. Worst case scenario...it makes for a good story and fun reading. What do you make of the '69..could that be easily 1969 as 1769? I have researched modern touch marks and it isn't there. If this is modern, I would assume that the information was readily available.

goldcoastwayne

Bigcypresshunter · Jul 22, 2010

Im sure there are unlisted, unidentified pewter markings because there are so many. Have you tried the Pewter Society?

http://www.pewtersociety.org/contact.html

I hope you will let us know the results.

goldcoastwayne · Jul 23, 2010

I will definitely let everyone know what I find out. Thanks to the readers, I have recieved some great leads. These type of historical puzzles are the most interesting to me. Thanks for everyone's input and I will let you know my findings. I hope to help identify items for all of you in the future.

goldcoastwayne