Here Be Dragons!

This elaborate antique pewter tea set from China is intricately engraved with dragons flying amidst exotic flowers and swirling waters.  

Pewter is an alloy of tin and lead. The softness of the metal makes it malleable and it can be polished to a soft sheen. Pewter appeared in China some 2,000 years ago. Tea caddies made of pewter were preferred for storing the valuable tea leaves and some tea connoisseurs argued that pewter tea pots made 

for superior brewing. 

In addition to the Chinese markings, the set is also stamped "Kut Hing Pewter Swatow." The City of Swatow, now known as Shantou, was opened as a foreign port in 1860 and quickly became an important export market, with many local artisans creating wares for the foreign trade. Beginning in the late 19th century, a number of workshops produced elaborate pewter items for the Western market, including everything from traditional tea sets to modern cocktail sets, often covered in intricate engraving. The Kut Hing company was one of the prominent pewter makers of the era.

All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly!

16473-1

You Scream, I Scream. . .

 We all scream for ICE CREAM!

And what could be better than ice cream?  How about ice cream molded in festive forms? Our trove currently has a collection of antique pewter ice cream molds.

With the invention of the hand-cranked ice cream maker in the 1840s, homemade ice cream became a popular treat. The Victorians, who apparently could not leave anything unadorned, began serving ice cream that had been frozen in decorative molds. From the mid-1800s through the 1950s, individual servings of ice cream molded in a variety of inventive shapes appeared at everything from holiday feasts to birthday parties to weddings. To support this craze for decorative desserts, a number of companies turned out pewter ice cream molds in thousands of shapes. In the United States, Schall and Company was established in 1854, soon followed by their major competitor, the Eppelsheimer Company. However, the introduction of packaged ice cream and commercial ice cream novelties, plus concerns about the lead content in the pewter molds, saw the demand for these molds dwindle.

These lovely lovebirds would be the perfect for upcoming Valentine's Day, or for an engagement, wedding, or anniversary celebration.  This one is marked "S& Co" for Schall and Company. As is typical of these molds, the outside is rather plain. . . 

. . .but the inside is beautifully detailed.

This chubby cherub could play Cupid for Valentine's Day.

For Halloween parties, there is this scaredy cat.

This turkey would be an appropriate ending to any Thanksgiving feast.

And for Easter luncheons, there is this little lamb.

This perky pig maybe from the European tradition that a pig is a sign of good luck and prosperity. In Germany, glücksschweinchen (good luck pigs) in the form of candy or other treats were given as gifts during Christmas and New Year's.

All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly.

Ein Prosit!

Ein Prosit, ein Prosit 

Der Gemütlichkeit 

Ein Prosit, ein Prosit 

Der Gemütlichkeit. 

(A toast, a toast

To good cheer

A toast, a toast

To good cheer.)

 You will be certainly be ready to cheerfully toast with any of these elegant antique beer steins recently added to the Next-to-New trove.  Although "stein" is derived from either German  "stein krug" or "steingut," indicating stoneware, these sparking steins are from gleaming glass.

The tallest of this collection, this terrific tankard features a hand-painted enameled portrait of a child or woman in flowing white robes raising a stein over the word "Prosit!" 

The pewter top is exceptionally ornate.

Also featuring an enameled portrait, this stein displays a sweetly smiling demure damsel in a traditional dirndl. 

The unusual pewter top is peaked with a glass prism.

Featuring an enameled flower instead of a fair fräulein, this stein in emblazoned with the edelweiss, a flower found in remote mountain regions of the Alps. The flower's name is a combination of the German words for noble (edel) and white (weiß), and the beloved blossom is considered a symbol of purity and strength.

The pewter lid is also adorned with a glass prism, as well a face with flowing mustaches.

The glass of the final stein is decorated only with subtle cutting, but its pewter lid commemorates an important historic event. In 1904, an international exposition was held in St. Louis, Missouri to commemorate the Louisiana Purchase. Some 50 countries exhibited at the St. Louis World's Fair and over 19 million people attended. The fair was spread over 1,200 acres with 75 miles of roads and sidewalks connecting over 1,500 buildings and exhibit halls. The lid features the Festival Hall overlooking the fountains of the Cascade Gardens and the Grand Basin afloat with boats.

Is you are are a collector of fine steins, are looking for a last-minute unique Father's Day gift, or want to get in some early practice for Oktoberfest, come by Next-to-New to toast these treasures from our trove.