My Messy Pewter Hunting Adventure
Alright, so last weekend I decided to finally figure out how to spot real Spanish pewter stuff without needing a lab or anything fancy. Kept seeing cool pieces online or at flea markets, but had zero clue if they were the real deal or cheap fakes. Figured I’d try some simple home tests people chatter about and just see what happened.
First thing I grabbed was an old, kinda dirty creamer I found shoved in the back of a cabinet, plus two other little knick-knacks that looked like they might be pewter – one super shiny, one dull. No clue if any were Spanish, honestly! That was step one – admitting I was starting from scratch.
The Tests I Ran & My Big Surprises:
- The Magnet Trick: Dug out a fridge magnet. Held it close to each piece. The old creamer? Zippo. Nothing. Magnet just slid off. The really shiny piece? Boom! Magnet stuck tight like glue. Felt like a total no-brainer. Real pewter’s mostly tin, right? So no magnetism. That shiny one was definitely lying! Dull one was only slightly magnetic, which made me suspicious too.
- The Weight Thing: Picked them all up. The legit-looking old one felt surprisingly heavy for its size – had that nice, dense feel. The magnet-sticky shiny one? Way too light, like cheap costume jewelry weight. The dull one felt weirdly light too, even though the magnet wasn’t fully grabbing it. Huh. Bad sign.
- The Scratch & Scent Check: Okay, this one felt naughty! Took a tiny metal pin (seriously, just a little sewing one) and gently scratched underneath the old creamer, where you wouldn’t see. Metal went through easy-peasy, like scratching soft cheese. Left a super shiny silver mark. Then I sniffed it. Yeah… weirdly sweet, kinda like solder when you melt it? Didn’t expect that smell at all! The dull one scratched easy too, but no strong smell. The shiny fake? Scratched rough and looked grainy underneath.
- The “Ting” Test: Held each piece carefully and tapped it with the pin again. The good old one made a nice, deep ding sound that hung in the air for a bit. Proper resonance, I guess? Sounded classy. The dull one just went thunk. Super dead sound. The shiny fake? Annoying high-pitched tink, like cheap metal. Totally different league.
- Oxidation: This was the slow part. Left the old creamer sitting out for a few days. Saw the nice, old piece start to get those patches of darker grey, like a natural, even aging. The dull one? Didn’t really change much, just looked… dusty. The shiny one stayed annoyingly bright and fake-looking. Didn’t oxidize like the old timer. Patience needed here.
Putting it all together? The magnet test knocked out the shiny fake instantly. The weight and sound test made the dull one look guilty. Only the old, heavy creamer passed everything – easy scratching, sweet smell, deep sound, good oxidation. Felt like Sherlock by the end!
Why even bother, you ask? Well, couple months back I totally overpaid for a “vintage Spanish pewter” tankard online. Looked cool, felt okay, but just… off somehow. Used these same tests when it arrived – super light, magnet stuck slightly, made a terrible ‘clank’ sound. Pure junk. Got burned once, won’t happen again! Saves cash and the hassle. Stick with these simple tests, be patient, and you won’t get fooled either. Works for me.
