Expert: Martin G Roberts - 11/11/2006

Question
My wife and I found in our attic an old pewter teapot with the marking, R.WRIGHT MANCHESTER EPBM 2955 3 GILL 99
What do theses markings mean? Can we use this in a tea set? It has what look like rose's all around it, very pretty. Thank you!

Answer
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Probably made in Sheffield or Birmingham, and retailed by Wright in Manchester.

EPBM: electroplated Britannia metal, a cheap silver substitute. BM is a pewter alloy formulated for fabrication (stamping, rolling, spinning, etc) rather than casting.

2955: pattern number

3 gill: capacity in quarters of an Imperial pint

99: not sure, possibly a workbench identifier.

Not sure what you mean by "can we use this in a tea set" - explain please.

Embossed decoration is common EPBM, which is despised by collectors. Value trivial.