Pewter Live is an annual design competition run by The Worshipful Company of Pewterers. Its aim is to revive interest in the use of pewter as the material of choice for domestic and interior products, jewellery and personal accessories.

The brief for 2008 was to design an item in pewter for use outside the home – in the garden, conservatory, patio, window box, or even on a picnic.

Pewter weathers beautifully and its patina often benefits from ageing: it is therefore an ideal material for a water feature or garden ornamentation as well as more practical items such as planters, table-tops, sundials, lighting or outdoor eating. Pewter combines well with many other materials including brass, wood and glass, although the entry must be made predominantly of pewter.

Watch this space for details of Pewter Live 2009!

We will produce a new brief for the Open Competiton and update the Student Design Competition. However it will still comprise of the four categories: Architectural Furniture – Fixtures and Fittings; Decorative Arts; Fashion – Jewellery and Accessories, and
Fashion – the Total Look.

The diversity and range displayed in the pewter that was produced for Pewter live 2008 was truly inspiring and we hope that many of these pieces will go forward to be produced commercially.

We have had a particularly good response from the Students and we are especially pleased to now have the London Metropolitan University on board. Over 80 students from 12 different colleges and univresities took part in the Student Design Competition with ten designers competing in the Open Design Competition.

The Rt Hon The Lord Mayor of London, Alderman David Lewis officially opened Pewter Live on the City evening held on 10 June. He was accompanied by the Lady Mayoress, Sheriffs Alderman Ian Luder, Alderman Michael Bear and their ladies.

The Lord Mayor with Richard Mullens and Albert Bartram looking at a piece just made in the Pewtersmithing Marquee.

Professor Deyan Sudjic, Director of the Design Museum, presented the prizes in Pewterers' Hall on 12 June.




First Prizewinners
Open Category: Katy Holfords     ‘Winter Flowers’


Student Architecture Furniture and Fittings: Conleth Moran of London Metropolitan UniversityThe 'Pewter Poste' is a new take on the traditional letterboxe.


Student Decorative Arts: Bianca Wooler of Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College for 'Let It Snow', Snowflake Christmas tree decoration


Student Fashion Jewellery and Accessories: Ema Fox of Truro College for herArticulated Bracelet made of identical, individual
pieces joined with brightly coloured fishing wire.

Student Fashion The Total Look:  Jane Murtagh of University College for Creative Arts Rochester for 'a Unisex Waisty' A contemporary adaptation of the traditional waistcoat, in oriental silks and exaggerated neck fixings.

Click here for a full list of winners.

Copies of the catalogues for Pewter Live 2005, 2006 and 2007 and are available.
Download a pdf
or for a hard copy please email
pewterlive@pewterers.org.uk
with your postal address.

For the latest Pewter Live 2008 catalogue Click Here

A suitable PDF reader can be downloaded by following the link to Adobe©.