Pewter Mug c. 1936

Filippo Porreca created this pewter mug. Pewter is an alloy, mostly tin, with a bit of other metal added for strength. Its dull sheen and heft give it a distinctive feel. Pewter objects like this mug have been made for centuries, often through casting, where molten metal is poured into a mold. The handle, with its delicate curves, likely required separate casting and attachment. The horizontal lines may have been achieved through a lathing process, cutting into the surface as it rotated. The real significance of pewter lies in its ubiquity. This wasn't fine silver or gold, reserved for the elite. Pewter was for the people, a practical material used for everyday objects. The mug's simple form suggests functionality, and the making of it might have involved multiple hands in a workshop setting. Looking at this mug, consider how the choice of material and method of manufacture speak to a broader social history, a story of craft, labor, and everyday life.