How to Identify European Pewter

Designate a well-lighted area for identifying your pewter items. Clear the surface of any dirt, dust or debris as you place the pewter items, cloth, magnifying glass, pen and paper in reach.

Place the individual pewter item where it can be clearly inspected. Check the surface for any markings or dated materials such as dates, towns or initials. Draw out these engravings exactly as they appear in the pewter, including solitary letters ("B" was a common engraving for British pewter items).

Note any fine points in the craftsmanship with the magnifying glass: for instance, an embellishment on the lip of a cup or tankard may indicate the more intricate features present on European pewter items. While not as much of a give-away of European make as the engraving, a decorative European pewter item is more common of the lot than a decorative American pewter item.

Run the porous cloth or rag along the sides of the pewter and notice how much the cloth clings to the surface. Write down the amount of "roughness" on the pewter's surface, as well as any uneven or scratched areas that may indicate the age of the piece and therefore suggest its European origin.

Place your ear to the pewter item and tap the surface with the handle of the magnifying glass. Listen for any high, tinny notes or low, "thud" noises. List this variable for each piece to help determine if the item has a high or low tin content, as heard in the "highness" or "lowness" of the reverberation test.

Complete the above steps for each pewter item that you have and surmise the likelihood of the European make of each item based on the above variables. For instance, if the piece has engravings, but appears simple, smooth and high in tin content, the engraving may have been placed by a factory or modern manufacturer. Using these facts and figures collected from each individual piece, make an educated attempt to answer if any of your pieces are of recognizable European make.