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.