Passionate about Pewter
November 2006
Fred Danforth’s mantel was full of his family’s pewter heirlooms, but it never occurred to him to follow in the family’s tradition. “All that changed the day I met a beautiful woman who wanted to be a pewtersmith,” he says. Now, 30 years later, Fred and Judi Danforth’s contemporary pewter pieces mark an artistic turn in a family legacy that dates back to the Colonial era.
“When we started, we thought of ourselves as creators of functional objects, and our focus was
 |
Now: A trio of pewter vases. |
primarily hollowware,” says Judi. “Over the years, we have explored the tremendous versatility of the metal, while growing our business. We often muse on what it must have been like in those old workshops. Perhaps they too faced the challenge of being both artisans and businessmen, especially in a time when pewter was considered strictly utilitarian.”
That’s not to say that Fred and Judi’s designs don’t have a purpose. It’s just that they’re functionally contemporary and considerably more affordable than the heirloom pieces. Take the couple’s modern spin on the porringer, defined as a small bowl with a handle cast onto the side of the bowl, which was used as tableware and for measuring soups and other liquids. A porringer in fine condition, made by Thomas Danforth Boardman (w.1804–1860, Norwich, Conn.), might be valued from $850 to $1,000; a set of Judi’s colorful pewter and enamel measuring spoons with wooden display rack sells for $80.
Equally popular are Fred’s salt and pepper mills, which incorporate his love of woodworking with hand-turned knobs. Starting at $175 each, these mills are comparable in price to an English salt cellar dating to the 18th century—and a veritable bargain when compared to the salt cellars made during that era by his ancestor Thomas Danforth II.
“There are only seven or eight salt cellars with the Thomas II ‘X’ on the bottom known to exist,” says noted expert Wayne Hilt, a Connecticut-based dealer in American and British pewter. “Even a well-used example would bring at least $1,500.”
The Danforth pewter legacy began with Thomas Danforth I (working in 1733–1786) in Norwich, Connecticut, and his two sons, Thomas II (w.1755–1782, Middleton, Conn.) and John (w.1762–1793, Norwich, Conn.), who apprenticed to become pewterers. By 1860, when pewter was largely replaced by inexpensive china from England, five generations and 17 men had followed in the Danforth family tradition, representing varying degrees of success and innovation.
Today, the Danforth name is well recognized within the pewter-collecting world. “The reason for
 |
Then: Antique salt cellar. |
this is the quality—each generation has a reputation of producing expertly crafted pieces,” says Eric Gronning, vice president of Sotheby’s American Furniture Department. While all Danforth pewter is collectible, rare forms in fine condition command a significant premium. Take, for example, a tall “spire” flagon with beehive finial, made by Samuel Danforth (w.1795–1816, Hartford, Conn.), and sold by Sotheby’s New York in October 2000 for $14,400 (all prices include buyer’s premium).
“Hollowware is always coveted by both silver and pewter collectors, and flagons are especially desirable,” says Gronning. “This particular piece is considered by many collectors to be Samuel’s best design. Today, it would easily fetch $16,000 at a well-advertised auction.”
Equally rare and desirable was Sotheby’s offering in May 2003 of a gallon-size basin made by Joseph Danforth II (w.1807–1812, Richmond, Va.), one of only two known examples of this size and by this maker. (The other resides at Colonial Williamsburg.) “I expected it to sell high, and so I wasn’t surprised when it realized $13,200,” says Hilt. “Pewter made before the Civil War didn’t survive very well. It was either melted down for ammunition or destroyed by troops from the North.”
The Danforth family legacy was re-established in 1975, when Fred Danforth, the sixth great-grandson of Thomas Danforth I, and his new bride, Judi Whipple, founded Danforth Pewter in Woodstock, Vermont. And while some of their pieces are influenced by their ancestry, you won’t find any historical reproductions. Instead, the couple has put a new spin on an old craft, introducing new forms and designs of both traditional and non-traditional pieces.
Besides adding their own flair to the family legacy, Fred and Judi are also keen on keeping the pewter craft alive in the 21st century. “We’re planning on building an experiential studio at our workshop, where guests can observe pewter being made, learn about the history of pewtering, and even try their hand at finishing a spoon cast from an antique mold,” says Fred. “In the old days, molds were filled with the molten liquid pewter alloy, a process known as casting. In our shop, we use both spinning [which was not invented until about 1850] and casting techniques. In our casting shop we use modern rubber molds, as well as several bronze molds, just like the ones used by the early Danforths.”
As for the couple’s two children, Bay Louise is the company’s merchandising manager, while Sadie is a classical pianist and teacher. “For the moment, anyway, the tradition pauses with us,” says Judi. “As for future generations, who knows? Pewtering is definitely in their genes.”
Judy Penz Sheluk writes on antiques and collectibles for Art & Antiques.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
►American Life Antiques
Greg Aurand,
14 Red Oak Lane, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.
914.736.2003
www.americanlifeantiques.com
►Danforth Pewter
Fred and Judi Danforth
P.O. Box 828, Middlebury, Vt.
877.326.3678
www.danforthpewter.com
►The Pewter Collectors Club of America Inc.
members.aol.com/pewterpcca
►Sotheby’s American Furniture Dept.
1334 York Ave. at 72nd St. New York
212.606.7000.
www.sothebys.com
►Wayne and Phyllis Hilt
American & British Pewter
176 Injun Hollow Road, Haddam Neck, Conn.
860.267.2146
www.hiltpewter.com
BOOKS
►Collecting Antique Pewter: What to Look For and What to Avoid by the Pewter Collectors Club of America (December 2006).
►Connecticut Pewter and Pewterers by John Carl Thomas (Connecticut Historical Society, 1976). Now out of print, this is still considered the most comprehensive book written to date on the Danforth family and other Connecticut pewterers. Copies are available through Wayne and Phyllis Hilt or Fred and Judi Danforth.