History

• Pewter was commonly used during the Middle Ages on a variety of products, including cookware, decorations and hardware. Though it's still commonly used in hardware and decorations, porcelain, plastic and glass are now more common for cookware and glassware. Antique pewter is still commonly found in hardware, however, as its deep color works well against most woods and has become popular with home furnishing brands and companies such as Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel.
  
  

Types

• Though pewter has been used on a variety of materials throughout history, antique pewter hardware most commonly takes the form of door, cabinet and dresser knobs, handles, hooks or pulls that accent a variety of wood finishes, including oak, pine and cherry oak. Antique pewter hardware also can be found in bathroom fixtures that include towel racks and cabinet handles.
  
  

Identification

• Antique pewter is differentiated from modern pewters by its darker appearance, which is caused by lead and may lead the pewter to take on a darker gray or blackish appearance. Antique pewter is a mixture of tin -- the main ingredient of pewter -- and lead, which gives the antique pewter a darker appearance.
  
  

Function

• Most antique pewter hardware is used in vintage pieces that will pay homage to the pewter's history. The doors, drawers and cabinets may be intricately designed, with equally intricate designs carved into the antique pewter finishes. Not all hardwares come fully installed, however, there are many companies who sell antique pewter hardware as it is, meaning that you or your local hardware specialist could install the antique hardware into whatever piece you like.
  
  

Warning

• Pewter hardware, especially old pieces, can contain up to 15 percent of lead, so be sure that you talk to your distributor about their manufacturing procedures to determine whether they use lead-free pewter. For antique pewter hardware that is sold by third-party vendors, you'll want to find out where they purchase their pewter and whether that company is lead-free. It is not recommended that you purchase pewter for a baby's or child's room if you're unsure whether it's lead-free as children stick many objects in their mouths and could develop lead poisoning, especially from antique pewter that may have been created before the dangers of lead were known. It is never recommended that you eat or drink out of antique pewter due to its high lead content.