Carson Pewter vs. Statesmetal

I've recently come across a plate, bowl, and spoon. The first two bear Carson Freeport markings and I assume the spoon would if it were large enough to support it. I tried to do some research on the Carson company, as far as it's history and have found that they both made pewter and what they called statesmetal, which wasn't exactly pewter, I believe on the aluminum side more so.

What I'm asking is, how would you tell the difference between the two without disfiguring the pieces? I've seen where people say try to bend it, use a certain type of acid on it, burn it with a torch. All of this was coming from a forum where people were reusing the pewter for other things though, so damaging it wasn't a concern of theirs.

I apologize, I don't currently have photos, but can get some a little later if it would help. Thanks to anybody that can point me to a company history or a method of distinguishing the differences.

 

The only way to "know" the difference between pewter and an modern aluminum alloy like Statesmetal is to read the marks. There is no "standard recipe" for pewter (which is generally an alloy of tin and zinc itself) nor is there any point to attempt to identify pewter or an aluminum alloy with an acid test as would be used for silver.

It is true that pewter is a relatively soft metal. I have a pewter plate that has bent a bit on the edge when the plate has been resting for the past 17+ years.

 

This is the only marking I can find on the pieces.



This is the same on both. I do recall someone saying that generally pewter has a specific kind of marking.

 

Looking at Carson images online, it looks like they only ever made the faux pewter - aluminum zinc - no tin - no real pewter

 

That big C is shown as a mark of Carson on Pat's old site and the Statesmetal mark on the same site is shown under Aluminum Alloys as it should.

https://web.archive.org/web/2010112...ons.com/index.php?p=1_25_Aluminum-alloy-marks

 

That's exactly the kind of information I was looking for! Thanks

 

It's good that you can still find Pat's old pewter site in the Internet Archive!

 

We have a link to his file at the top of Metalware Forum under Pewter Marks.

 

Good! I don't usually look for the link posts. Have to remember that. Thanks!