Tankard restoring

[BlaggardMike]

I recently received a 19th century english tankard with a glass bottom. Unfortunately it leaks. I am not sure how to seal the leak. I was thinking silicone but I don't trust the chemicals and it may seep into whatever beverage I drink out of it. Also I do not know how ale/beer would treat the silicone. I was thinking maybe a wax?

Any suggestions would be great.

Edited June 24, 2009 by BlaggardMike

[Dutchman]

alcohol will deteriorate bees wax, pitch, and slowly go after silicone. go to a hobby store and get yourself some food grade two part epoxy. it will run you about $10 and you will have a whole lot left so maybe line up a few small projects to keep from wasting it. you don't have to use all of it on one project since this is a two part mix, but you will forget about it or it will leak out then be shot next time you want it. upend the tankard and give the bottom a good cleaning with alcohol (denatured type) or acetone and depending on how much work you wish to do, either just run a bead of epoxy around the edge or put a layer over the entire glass piece. you can put the epoxy on the inside and be ok, but sometimes they end up holding a taste- yuk.

[Commodore Swab]

I would just pick up some JB Weld and coat the entire bottom. If you are good you can even get close to matching the color. If you put it on thick you can even sand it down so its beautifully smooth and nobody will even know there is a glass bottom in it.

[Quartermaster James]

I recently received a 19th century english tankard with a glass bottom.

Do you mean honest-to-goodness 19th century pewter...with lead?

[CaptainSatan]

If it is actually from the 19th century the pewter may have a high lead content.

Modern pewter is made from a lead free alloy called Britannia metal that substitutes

tin for the delicious lead. Other pewter like products use aluminum as a base. Wilton

Armetale is popular example of a modern aluminum alloy. Britannia metal was invented

in the late 18th century. But lead was still being used in pewter well into the 19th century

I have no problem drinking from lead crystal occasionally. But I would never consume

alcohol from a period pewter mug. Unless I had it tested for lead first.

Are you certain that it is an actual antique and not something from the early 70s?

[BlaggardMike]

If it is actually from the 19th century the pewter may have a high lead content.

Modern pewter is made from a lead free alloy called Britannia metal that substitutes

tin for the delicious lead. Other pewter like products use aluminum as a base. Wilton

Armetale is popular example of a modern aluminum alloy. Britannia metal was invented

in the late 18th century. But lead was still being used in pewter well into the 19th century

I have no problem drinking from lead crystal occasionally. But I would never consume

alcohol from a period pewter mug. Unless I had it tested for lead first.

Are you certain that it is an actual antique and not something from the early 70s?

Oh if there is lead content never mind. I won it on ebay I didnt want one that was modern unless the woman lied about vintage which is a possibility. She stated in the listing it didn't leak and when I recieved it I filled it up to find it did. Oh boy was I dooped.

Thank you for bringing this to my attention

[Commodore Swab]

well is the bottom plastic or glass?

[BlaggardMike]

well is the bottom plastic or glass?

Glass

[hurricane]

First, that much lead ain't going to kill you. I grew up in a generation of lead paint and stuff... there's many more things out there that are going to kill you long before a little bid of lead transfer from a mug.

I don't know if it works in your situation, but I sealed a gas tank once with a bar of Ivory soap. Just run it around over and over around the base. It may stop the leak without using any modern contrivances. It worked great stopping gasoline. Since it's on the exterior and not interior, nothing should taste soapy. If it does, just add a little gunpowder to get rid of the 99 44/100% pure taste.

- Hurricane

[adam cyphers]

hmmm anyone ever heard of a stained glass tankard?i work in a glass shop...wouldnt be hard exept finding a safe solder to use...if there is one.

[Silkie McDonough]

...that much lead ain't going to kill you. I grew up in a generation of lead paint and stuff...

Nuff said ...splaines allot.

[MarkG]

If it is actually from the 19th century the pewter may have a high lead content.

Modern pewter is made from a lead free alloy called Britannia metal that substitutes

tin for the delicious lead. Other pewter like products use aluminum as a base. Wilton

Armetale is popular example of a modern aluminum alloy. Britannia metal was invented

in the late 18th century. But lead was still being used in pewter well into the 19th century

I have no problem drinking from lead crystal occasionally. But I would never consume

alcohol from a period pewter mug. Unless I had it tested for lead first.

Are you certain that it is an actual antique and not something from the early 70s?

Oh if there is lead content never mind. I won it on ebay I didnt want one that was modern unless the woman lied about vintage which is a possibility. She stated in the listing it didn't leak and when I recieved it I filled it up to find it did. Oh boy was I dooped.

Thank you for bringing this to my attention

If it is a historic piece then it will have marks to prove it. There will be one or more hallmarks showing that it was an approved piece. If it is English then it will also have a date. This is a letter. They changed fonts.

It isn't hard to find pieces from around the 1840s, especially tavern measures. I have several. There isn't a big market for these pieces so I can often pick them up for less than the price of a reproduction.

The fact that it has a glass bottom is worrying. This was much more common in reproductions than in originals. I have several books on historic pewter and I don't think any show a glass-bottomed one.

On the bright side, if it is a modern piece then you can be sure that it is lead-free.

Mark