BACKGROUND
We do not usually offer items on other people's behalf, but an extended family member has acquired quite a bit of sterling Silver, Silver plate and a few pieces of pewter due to an inheritance. Knowing that our family runs a website where we are finding new homes for the masses of things we have collected over many, many years, these extended family members have asked if 'someone' may like to find new, appreciative homes for some of their items which they do not have room for or for that matter, much interest in! Most items are quite "ordinary", some a little strange and as I discovered today, some are not Silver related at all but in fact made from Pewter.
We do not really delve into the world of pewter but do know the name Selangor, being quite prominent in the '80s especially ... I believe the company name is now called Royal Selangor, having been changed in the early 1990's after Royal endorsement. Not English royalty but in fact the Sultan of Selangor in Malaysia - Yes, Selangor pewter is made in Malaysia and the company is the largest pewter manufacturer in the world I am told - it's no wonder that even I had heard of this company!
I believe this hip flask would date from the 1980's, before the company was bestowed with the Royal addition to their name in 1992.
To be very frank, I (and my wife) don't particularly like Pewter items because they seem to be so hard to clean! See my comments further down about this ...
SELANGOR - SELMARK PEWTER- Hip Flask
Made in Malaysia
95mm(3.75") Wide x 105mm(4.25") Height x 25mm(1") Depth
Holds 6 Ounces (I checked but with Water not Whiskey!)
Curved shape
Design is very simple, being five distinct 'bands', two of which have a hammered effect
NO personalised writing has been written or engraved anywhere on the hip flask
UNDERSIDE STAMPING
COSMETIC CONDITION:
USED
Clean
I will deal with individual 'parts' of the flask in regard to the condition ...
Front & Rear sides
Clean, shiny, no dents and with no significant scratching observed
Underneath
Clean, shiny, no dents BUT I can see a number of LIGHT scratch marks here
Topside
Clean, less shiny that the other parts and with some small 'dots' of Grey or Black - like there is some oxidisation of the metal.
Screw Top Cap
Clean but again, less shiny (in fact quite dull) on the top of this cap. Around the sides of the cap are fine and there is no physical damage to the threads of either this cap or the flask itself.
Inside this cap is a Cork 'seal' and it remains intact and looks to be in reasonable condition (not discoloured)
NOTES:
When I was handed this flask, my heart sank! You see I have in the past run into Pewter and quite frankly don't like it much...once it becomes a dull Grey I have always had trouble getting it shiny again.
This flask WAS a dull Grey so I went through the process of using Hot Water baths, then gently rubbing all over with soap & water. This lifted a lot of the "Greyness" except on the top section. Next I used a metal polish cleaner with cotton wool and rubbed in circular motion for what seemed like days and once "buffed up" (by hand) the hip flask that you see in the photographs was the result.
Now I suspect an "expert" who has worked with this metal alloy before could do a better job of making it look better but I am not that person ... that is a task for the new owner (should they even wish to)
Oh, I looked inside the flask as best I could and it looked to be clean as far as I could determine.
