Expert: Martin G Roberts - 5/5/2004

Question
Good day Martin.

I have a fruit dish and feel sure that it is tin it seems to be old but i am not sure how old, there is a stamp on the bottom with an angel and a circle with the letter R inside and the word  
ZEMETA, any info will be welcome
Kind regards Adrian.

Answer
More likely pewter, rather than tin - it is difficult to stamp tinplate (i.e. thin iron/steel with a tin coating), and cast or fabricated pure tin is rare as the metal is difficult to work unalloyed.

Mark sounds like one of the thousands of angel marks used by continental european pewterers from the 17th century to the present day. If very clean and undamaged, then probably quite recent.

Could the R in circle indicate a registered tradename, mark or design? If so, probably made within the last 50 years, and of little value or interest except as a decorative piece.