Antique Bartolomeo Walder Pewter Pitcher, Italy Cb Hallmark, Circa 1800s

Description

Bartolomeo Walder (Italy)
6.5" Pewter Pitcher
Italy CB Hallmark (c 1800s)

This must have been a very beloved pitcher, because … more Bartolomeo Walder (Italy)
6.5" Pewter Pitcher
Italy CB Hallmark (c 1800s)

This must have been a very beloved pitcher, because it shows its use and age. This heavy piece has a somewhat worn mark on the bottom for Barolomeo Walder (with the 3 poplar trees logo), with a second worn mark that displays two rampant lions and the letters C B, and some symbol in between, and a small word beneath that looks like FIN or FIM; there is an additional impressed mark that says "Made Italy." This is a lot of marking for a piece of pewter, and I've been able to find out very little about most of it (beyond a lot of speculation). I think the CB might be for the Comune di Brescia (but it's also the recognized abbreviation for Campobasso), and I've read the lions are a symbol of Brescia (which is in the Lombardy region, which might have something to do with the stylized poplar trees). I am guessing that the date of manufacture is between 1870 and 1900; most listings for Walder pieces describe them as 19th century or made anywhere between 1820 and 1920. For once, Google hasn't been very helpful with finding additional detail about Bartolomeo Walder.

The thick heavy pitcher measures 6.5 inches high at the rim edge, 7.25 inches high at the top of the great looping handle, 4-3/8 inches wide across the rim, and 4-3/8 inches across the foot. It is 8.5 inches long from the tip of the spout to the outer edge of the handle. (The handle is especially nice, in my opinion; it is very firm and easy to hold, and is affixed at the lower part with a nicely designed flourish!)

The pitcher has a lot of wear, and a thick gray patina. There are several dents and scratches on the surface, but the pitcher is still very usable. The interior and the bottom side show several areas where the pitcher has apparently been repaired over the years, with coarser patches of pewter (not visible when the pitcher is sitting flat). I haven't tried cleaning the pitcher beyond a simple rinse to remove the dust.

Please examine the photos carefully, and feel free to send any questions you might have. less