Expert: Martin G Roberts - 10/29/2008

Question
i have a coffee pot that says it is hand beaten, a milk jug and a sugar basin with 2 handles. the coffee pot has a markless handle and knob on top of lid. it says it is abbey pewter and has the numbers  1358 on all of them can you tell me anything about them and what you think i should be looking for price wise, it is my mother in laws and she always remembers it sitting in her mothers front room on the cabinet. mother in law is in her 60s. thank you for any info you can provide as i know nothing about any pewter and i don't want her getting ripped off.

Answer
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Hello Cath,

Your mother-in-law's coffee set was made by Osborne & Co. of Sheffield, England, sometime between 1913 and 1939. The value will depend a great deal on the particular style, and on condition. However, as you say the marks include "hand beaten", I assume the set is of the 'hammered-all-over' type, which suggests a date later in the working life of Osbornes, perhaps after 1925, and I'm afraid pieces of this type and period are very common and do not command high prices. On the internet or at a local auction you would not expect to get more than 50 pounds / 100 dollars, and it might be quite a bit less than that.

Hope that helps.

Martin
www.antique-metalware.co.uk