Pewter

Modern pewter, such as you might find in your kitchen, is primarily tin, alloyed with antimony and copper. The usual mixture is 91% tin, 7.5% antimony and 1.5% copper.

Long ago, pewter was made with lead, which contributed to lead poisoning in the populus, but this practice has long since passed out of use. Modern pewter is lead-free.

Be sure to care for your pewter properly.

References:
http://www.shirleypewter.com/history.html

Pew"ter (?), n. [OE. pewtyr, OF. peutre, peautre, piautre: cf. D. peauter, piauter, It. peltro, Sp. & Pg. peltre, LL. peutreum, pestrum. Cf. Spelter.]

1.

A hard, tough, but easily fusible, alloy, originally consisting of tin with a little lead, but afterwards modified by the addition of copper, antimony, or bismuth.

2.

Utensils or vessels made of pewter, as dishes, porringers, drinking vessels, tankards, pots.

⇒ Pewter was formerly much used for domestic utensils. Inferior sorts contain a large proportion of lead.

© Webster 1913.