Pewter miniatures: history in scale

What pewter is, and why small figures are cast in it

Pewter is tin hardened with small amounts of other metals. It melts at a low temperature, so it fills a mould and holds fine detail; on two of our pieces the names THEMIS and NIKE are engraved. And it is dense: even a small figure has the weight of real metal in the hand. Pewter does not rust, takes a soft silver-grey sheen and can be darkened or gilded: our Nike is dark pewter with a gold accent, our legionary silver and gold. All five, on our pewter miniatures page, are modern reproductions, sold as such.

The five figures and the originals behind them

• Themis, goddess of justice. In Greek myth Themis is the Titaness of divine law; Hesiod makes her a wife of Zeus and mother of the Seasons and the Fates. The Roman Iustitia, Lady Justice, is considered her heir. The figurine: scales, sceptre, a serpent at her feet, THEMIS engraved.
• Nike of Samothrace. The original is Hellenistic marble of the second century BC, set on a ship's prow in the sanctuary of Samothrace, most likely for a naval victory. Found in pieces in 1863, it reached the Louvre in 1864; since 1884 it has stood on its ship at the top of the Daru staircase, without head or arms. Our pewter version keeps the original's headless pose.
• Roman legionary, javelin and shield. Rome's professional heavy infantryman: his pilum was built to pierce a shield, and ancient writers describe it bending on impact so it could not be thrown back; then he closed in behind the scutum with the short sword. The figurine catches the moment before the throw: javelin overhead, eagle-decorated scutum raised.
• Roman centurion, full armour. The centurio led a century, about eighty men, with a vine stick as badge of rank: Tacitus records one nicknamed Cedo alteram, “give me another”, for the sticks he broke on his men's backs. The figurine shows the transverse crest that marked out centurions on the helmet, phalerae (disc-shaped military decorations worn on the chest) and a full coat of scale armour.
• Medieval knight, full plate armour. In medieval Latin the knight was called miles, the same word Rome had used for its soldiers. Full plate armour and the pointed visor belong to the late fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The figurine shows the Gothic type, sword at rest: the piece that bridges Rome and the age of chivalry.

Who they are for

Lawyers, judges and law graduates. Themis is the small gift for a legal desk: the Greek iconography of justice in a size that sits beside a keyboard. For the Roman version of the same idea, with scales, sword and blindfold, there is the bronze-effect resin Lady Justice, Iustitia; see also our guides to Roman gifts for lawyers and the law graduation gift.

Military-history readers. The legionary and the centurion are for whoever knows a century from a cohort; the knight takes the shelf to the Middle Ages.

People with little space, or a suitcase. The pewter Nike suits whoever admires the marble in the Louvre; the same subject also exists as a bronze-effect resin statue.

How to keep pewter looking right

Dust pewter with a soft dry cloth, and a soft dry brush for folds and feathers. If dust has settled in, a cloth barely dampened with lukewarm water and a drop of mild soap is enough; dry the piece at once. No dishwasher and no soaking: heat and detergent ruin the finish. No metal polish or abrasive sponges: they can strip a darkened or gilded finish. Pewter is soft, so hold a figure by the base, not by the javelin, sword or sceptre, and display it in a dry room, away from strong heat.

Seeing them, collecting them, having them shipped

The five stand in the shop at Via Cavour 280 in Rome, open every day from 10:00 to 20:00. Their pages show no price and no cart (the collection page reads “Ask for price”), because availability rotates: ask us what is in the shop today. Come and pick them up, or write to us from the product page. Online you can buy the pieces listed in our Etsy boutique: free tracked shipping in Italy, and for other countries the cost is shown on Etsy before you pay; 14 days to return.