Village Squire, 1979-12, Page 9Although this part of pewter making is quick and relatively
simple there's a lot more that goes into the making of say a
pewter goblet. For one thing the bowl itself still hasn't been
made. Open vessels are usually made by a spinning process. A
metal lathe is used in this part of the job. Pewter discs which can
only be obtained in the U.S. are centred on the lathe between a
mold the shape of the desired interior of the bowl on one side and
the tailstock of the lathe on the other. The machine is turned on
at a speed of about 2000 rpm. The disc is covered with beeswax
and a metal tool is then held against the edge and the disc is
worked around the mold in a process that is much like that used
by a potter spinning clay into a bowl shape. It's relatively quick
and looks very simple at the hands of an expert like George Holm
but it's the most skilled part of the business other than the
original design phase. George says he only does spinning in the
morning because when he's tired he can't hold the shape of the
bowls as well. While the molds provide precise reproduction of a
design the spinning of bowls makes each piece individual. It is
impossible to exactly copy another piece in this way.
Even after the bowls are completed there is still much to be
done. The pieces have to be polished. It was a method that was
very time consuming even with the use of modern machinery
such as a steel brush mounted on an electric motor, or was until
George recently came up with simple labour saving device. He
put some old molds to use along with a stick of dowelling to
provide a simple, inexpensive holder that greatly speeds the job.
Pieces still have to be assembled together to make the finished
piece. A goblet, for instance is made up of the base, the stem and
the bowl, all made at different times. They are fitted together
with the use of solder and each piece must be done individually.
All this and more goes into the handwork that accompanies each
piece. In addition many people like pewter that isn't shiny and
new but blackened and so George spent a good deal of time
coming up with the right combination of chemicals to blacken the
shiny surface of some of his pieces.
•
The resultof all this is that pewter is no longer a poor man's
product, although it is far cheaper than the equivalent pieces in
silver even today. Besides the endless hours spent in design
(George once devoted a whole week to the design of three
handles) and the amount of handwork in finishing the pieces
there's the cost of pewter. In 1975 George bought some ingots
for $3.75 a pound. Today ingots cost $11 a pound.
Part of the reason the 1-iolms are spending so much time filling
their orders these days is that they're still feeling their way in the
business. Much time is still being taken in making new designs.
George has, for instance, many new designs that he hasn't
shown retailers yet because he's not sure they're as good as he
wants them. After the prototype of a new design is made the
family likes to take it to their home and use it for a while so they
can find out any faults it may have. Some designs may go
through a mark I, II and III before he is satisfied. He's working
toward two lines of design, an old -English look and a sort of Art
Nouveaux look. In making designs he's experimented with the
use of wire and ribbon to add interesting effects. He also wants
to get into jewellery but so far has been so busy with his
holloware that he hasn't had time to get to work on jewellery to
any extent. He has no trouble finding outlets for product of the
shop. At present his work is on sale at The Pewter House in
Toronto's Eaton Centre; The Pewter House in Halifax, Jensen's
Guild House in London and Kincaide Pewter House in Toronto.
The problem is not market then but time. But despite the 12 to
14 hours a day the couple works George says he feels like a
millionaire with his new lifestyle in St. Marys. He enjoys being
able to walk wherever he goes in town. He likes having the river
just across the street where the children Susan and John can go
canoeing. They like being able to associate with other quality
craftsmen and artists in the community. While Elva says that at
one time George wasn't sure he could live in a small town after a
life in the city, now he doesn't know how he got along for so long
in Toronto.
41 A R S N A L L'S
.7.‘ST
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50-152 GLEE,. ST.
G-611.16- CENT0.1:1C 14oTE1- 154•7" 1'17
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�1flRSHR�L'S ,., Si. ffiRYS
"WHERE THE UNUSUAL IS USUAL"
GIFT SHOP LADIES WEAR CARD SHOP
150 QUEEN ST.
The Grand Central Hotel built in
1833, was for decades a welcom-
ing place to spend the night.
Today it is a group of three
connecting shops. What was once
the lane for horses & buggies to
reach rhe stable at the back is nou'
a charming CARD & CANDLE
SHOP. The original bar is now the
LADIES WEAR with its handcraft
section. Browse on into the GIFT
SHOP, once the dining room,
where lull use has been made of
rhe charm this old building.
the original antiques are
used to display imports from
around the world.
"DO COME VISIT US SOON"
284-3070
December 1979, Village Squire 7