573 Magazine - ASL Pewter Foundry produces high-quality, lead-free pewter products. Their studio and foundry are located in beautiful Ste. Genevieve, Missouri.
Thomas and Patricia have long been fascinated with history and are proud to be keeping a traditional craft alive.
Pewter is a malleable metal alloy, traditionally 85%-99% tin, with the remainder consisting of copper, antimony, bismuth and sometimes, less commonly today, lead. Copper and antimony act as hardeners while lead is common in the lower grades of pewter, which have a bluish tint. Silver is also sometimes used. Martha Stewart calls it, "18th Century Tupperware," emblematic of the emerging middle class.
The shop is very cool. You can actually watch the couple as they craft their products.
Thomas and Patricia Hooper own and operate ASL Pewter in Ste. Genevieve. ASL produces fine pewter products. The shop is very cool. You can actually watch the couple as they craft their products. Thomas and Patricia have long been fascinated with history and are proud to be keeping a traditional craft alive. They use a variety of techniques including casting, metal spinning, soldering and hammering. They also have a large selection of antique and vintage molds, some dating back to 1650.
We started playing with pewter to make accessories for fragrance products like incense burners, perfume oil bottles and potpourri holders.
Thomas and Patricia use 92% tin, 2% copper, and 6% antimony to form their alloy. That is the same alloy the London Pewterer's Guild certified as "Fine Pewter" since 1635. Fine Pewter never has lead or other impurities in it.
“We have been working with pewter for over 20 years and have received much recognition for our work. We have been honored to have created ornaments for the White House Christmas tree and for the Missouri Governor’s Mansion. We made all the pewter for the John Adams mini-series that was on HBO. We have done custom work for Disney, Universal Studios, Colonial Williamsburg, George Washington’s Gristmill, Historic St. Mary’s City, the United States Supreme Court, and George Mason’s home, Gunston Hall. We have been shown in arts related programs on television in the St Louis area and on Illinois Stories. We have done arts and traditional arts shows in over 20 states.
We started playing with pewter to make accessories for fragrance products like incense burners, perfume oil bottles and potpourri holders. Then the pewter took on a life of its own, and here we are today, focusing on Early American reproductions.
By the way, George is a sugar glider, a tiny marsupial native to Australia. He is our pocket pet and sales associate. He is a nocturnal, omnivorous, arboreal marsupial.
We moved to Ste. Gen for the history, the friendliness of the people and the progressiveness we've seen in the community.”
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