Expert: Martin G Roberts - 8/21/2008

Question
Dear Martin
I have recently picked up a 16 sided oval bowl about 10 inches long with handles on each end and acanthus topped lions feet legs.
It looks great more like polished silver than pewter with quite an unusual design sort of art deco with classical feet.
I has one mark on the bottom, an oval with Craftsman Pewter on the outside and Sheffield on the inside.
Iwonder if you would know the manufacture date?
Yours sincerely
James Roberts

Answer
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"Craftsman" was a trademark of Viners, a Sheffield firm famous for cutlery manufacture, who also made pewter. The mark was used in the late 1920s and through the 1930s. That fits nicely with your identification of an Art Deco design.

Martin
www.antique-metalware.co.uk