Teapot
ca. 1840 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The Britannia metal teapot was manufactured around 1840-50. Britannia Metal is often mistaken for pewter. As an alloy consisting primarily of tin (around 95-97%) and containing copper and antimony (and no lead), Britannia Metal and modern pewter are virtually indistinguishable.
Much of the distinction between the two lies in the way they were produced. Pewter has always been most commonly cast in moulds. Britannia metal developed in Sheffield, a town with no established history of pewter production, in response to the Sheffield Plate industry (silver fused to copper). It borrowed much of the technology, employing die-stamps, rolling mills and fly presses. It could also be spun into shape over chucks and cast if necessary. In effect it was mass-produced pewter. Britannia metal was also manufactured as a base for electroplated wares. It was first developed by James Vickers in around 1790.
By the 1850s, the use of Britannia metal superseded pewter for cheap mass-produced items. In the 1886 novel Patience Wins (Blackie & Son Ltd, London, Glasgow and Dublin, 1886) George Manville Fenn describes how the hero comes across a Britannia Metal factory: "As I looked through into these works, one man was busy with sheets of rolled-out Britannia metal, thrusting them beneath a stamping press, and at every clang with which this came down a piece of metal like a perfectly flat spoon was cut out and fell aside, while at a corresponding press another man was holding a sheet, and as close as possible out of this he was stamping out flat forks, which, like the spoons, were borne to other presses with dies, and as the flat spoon or fork was thrust in it received a tremendous blow, which shaped the bowl and curved the handle, while men at vices and benches finished them off with files. ... in spite of the metal being cold, the heat of the friction, the speed at which it goes, and the ductility of the metal make it behave as if it were so much clay or putty."
Much of the distinction between the two lies in the way they were produced. Pewter has always been most commonly cast in moulds. Britannia metal developed in Sheffield, a town with no established history of pewter production, in response to the Sheffield Plate industry (silver fused to copper). It borrowed much of the technology, employing die-stamps, rolling mills and fly presses. It could also be spun into shape over chucks and cast if necessary. In effect it was mass-produced pewter. Britannia metal was also manufactured as a base for electroplated wares. It was first developed by James Vickers in around 1790.
By the 1850s, the use of Britannia metal superseded pewter for cheap mass-produced items. In the 1886 novel Patience Wins (Blackie & Son Ltd, London, Glasgow and Dublin, 1886) George Manville Fenn describes how the hero comes across a Britannia Metal factory: "As I looked through into these works, one man was busy with sheets of rolled-out Britannia metal, thrusting them beneath a stamping press, and at every clang with which this came down a piece of metal like a perfectly flat spoon was cut out and fell aside, while at a corresponding press another man was holding a sheet, and as close as possible out of this he was stamping out flat forks, which, like the spoons, were borne to other presses with dies, and as the flat spoon or fork was thrust in it received a tremendous blow, which shaped the bowl and curved the handle, while men at vices and benches finished them off with files. ... in spite of the metal being cold, the heat of the friction, the speed at which it goes, and the ductility of the metal make it behave as if it were so much clay or putty."
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Britannia metal, engraved decoration, hinged lid |
| Brief description | Britannia metal teapot on circular foot with bulbous body decorated in wriggle-work. English, ca. 1840. |
| Physical description | Britannia metal teapot on circular foot with bulbous body decorated in wriggle-work. Cast spout and handle. Hinged lid with cast knob in the form of a leaf and drooping flower. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | Unmarked |
| Credit line | Jerome Bequest |
| Object history | Britannia metal is softer and easier to work than nickel silver and can be cast, stamped, raised or spun into shape. However, it is less hardwearing, tarnishes a deep grey and is difficult to re-plate. The body of this teapot has been stamped in two pieces and soldered together, while the handle, spout and finial have been cast in a mould. Britannia metal casts well, as antimony in the alloy causes the metal to expand on cooling, creating sharp, accurate impressions of the moulds. British ceramic production during the 19th-century made inroads into the pewter/Britannia metal market, and the alloy was never as common in Britain as in America. Indeed, much of the tin for the American Britannia metal trade was imported from Cornish mines. Historical significance: The mug represents major technological change in metalworking. Britannia Metal is often mistaken for pewter. As an alloy consisting primarily of tin (around 95-97%) and containing copper and antimony (and no lead), Britannia Metal and modern pewter are virtually indistinguishable. However, much of the distinction between the two lies in their histories of production. Pewter has always been more commonly cast in moulds than produced using other techniques. Britannia metal developed in Sheffield, a town with no established history of pewter production, in response to the Sheffield Plate industry (silver fused to copper). It borrowed much of the technology, employing die-stamps, rolling mills and fly presses. It could also be spun into shape over chucks and cast if necessary. In effect it was mass-produced pewter. Britannia metal was also manufactured as a base for electroplated wares. It was first developed by James Vickers in around 1790. By the 1850s, Britannia Metal superseded pewter for the production of household items. |
| Historical context | By the 1850s, the use of Britannia metal superseded pewter for cheap mass-produced items. In the 1886 novel Patience Wins (Blackie & Son Ltd, London, Glasgow and Dublin, 1886) George Manville Fenn describes how the hero comes across a Britannia Metal factory: "As I looked through into these works, one man was busy with sheets of rolled-out Britannia metal, thrusting them beneath a stamping press, and at every clang with which this came down a piece of metal like a perfectly flat spoon was cut out and fell aside, while at a corresponding press another man was holding a sheet, and as close as possible out of this he was stamping out flat forks, which, like the spoons, were borne to other presses with dies, and as the flat spoon or fork was thrust in it received a tremendous blow, which shaped the bowl and curved the handle, while men at vices and benches finished them off with files. ... in spite of the metal being cold, the heat of the friction, the speed at which it goes, and the ductility of the metal make it behave as if it were so much clay or putty." Britannia Metal's light robustness even came to the attention of Charles Dickens. 'Pleasantry, sir!' exclaimed Pott with a motion of the hand, indicative of a strong desire to hurl the Britannia metal teapot at the head of the visitor. 'Pleasantry, sir! - But - no, I will be calm; I will be calm, Sir;' in proof of his calmness, Mr. Pott flung himself into a chair, and foamed at the mouth. (The Pickwick Papers, Chapter 18) |
| Summary | The Britannia metal teapot was manufactured around 1840-50. Britannia Metal is often mistaken for pewter. As an alloy consisting primarily of tin (around 95-97%) and containing copper and antimony (and no lead), Britannia Metal and modern pewter are virtually indistinguishable. Much of the distinction between the two lies in the way they were produced. Pewter has always been most commonly cast in moulds. Britannia metal developed in Sheffield, a town with no established history of pewter production, in response to the Sheffield Plate industry (silver fused to copper). It borrowed much of the technology, employing die-stamps, rolling mills and fly presses. It could also be spun into shape over chucks and cast if necessary. In effect it was mass-produced pewter. Britannia metal was also manufactured as a base for electroplated wares. It was first developed by James Vickers in around 1790. By the 1850s, the use of Britannia metal superseded pewter for cheap mass-produced items. In the 1886 novel Patience Wins (Blackie & Son Ltd, London, Glasgow and Dublin, 1886) George Manville Fenn describes how the hero comes across a Britannia Metal factory: "As I looked through into these works, one man was busy with sheets of rolled-out Britannia metal, thrusting them beneath a stamping press, and at every clang with which this came down a piece of metal like a perfectly flat spoon was cut out and fell aside, while at a corresponding press another man was holding a sheet, and as close as possible out of this he was stamping out flat forks, which, like the spoons, were borne to other presses with dies, and as the flat spoon or fork was thrust in it received a tremendous blow, which shaped the bowl and curved the handle, while men at vices and benches finished them off with files. ... in spite of the metal being cold, the heat of the friction, the speed at which it goes, and the ductility of the metal make it behave as if it were so much clay or putty." |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.15-1998 |
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| Record created | March 18, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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