Expert: Martin G Roberts - 2/17/2009

Question
We possess 8 small pewter cups and a pewter tray. The cups are approximately 3inches tall. On the bottom center of 4 of the cups, there is simply a crown and underneath the crown, a Roman Numeral X. On the bottom  of the other 4 cups from top to bottom are the words "James Yates" (a mark precedes the J and follows the S. Then in an inner circle, a crown and underneath the crown, a Roman Numeral X, and underneath the X the word LEADLESS. Beneath that, the words MADE IN ENGLAND. The tray is about 9 inches in diameter. The top border of the tray has reeded lines; the edges of the tray have cutouts with a kind of spade shape at the top and bottom on the cutout, and the flat surface of the tray has etched designs with some florals.  What can you tell me about these pieces?

Answer
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Hello Fred,

James Yates was a pewterer in Birmingham, England, who worked under that name 1860-81. He was very prolific and his name became a well-known tradename. Because of that, successor firms continued to use "James Yates" as a mark through the late 19th Century, and right through most of the 20th Century. All these successors were and are based in Birmingham.

The type of object you have is not the sort of thing that would have been made in the 19th Century. It is modern, probably 1950s or later. A late date is confirmed by "Made in England", which does not appear on English made pewter until the 20th Century, and "leadless", which probably was not used before the 1920s, and was widely used in the latter part of the 20th Century.

"Leadless" is there because of the fears people had over lead in pewter. These fears are not wholly justified, but lead was not used in pewter alloys in the later 20th Century.

The crowned X is an old English pewter mark. It began as a quality mark in the 17th Century, but its use here is just a matter of continuing tradition - it has no meaning.

Hope that helps.

Martin
www.antique-metalware.co.uk