Was pewter the substitute for gold and silver plate among the middle classes? The evidences afforded by history might make us think so; we refer not merely to ancient times, when class distinctions were almost unknown, but also to periods not far distant from our own; we know, that in the ridiculous repast satirised by Boileau, the plates which the guests threw at each other's heads, and which came rolling back after having struck the wall, were nothing but pewter ware.

Marie d'Anjou, as M. Paul Mantz tells us, was not above dealing with the manufactory of Jehan Goupil at Tours. The Dukes of Bourbonnais used pewter at their table, as is shown by their inventories; and lastly, Francis I. himself patronised it, as we find in his accounts an entry of a payment made for the transportation of the pewter ware, etc.

Pewterers are frequently mentioned in the ancient inventories: among others we meet with:

1346. Pieres de Bruges.

1350. Hue de Bezancon.

1384. Jehan de Troyes.

1399. Jehan d'Abbeville.

1410. Henri.

1423. Jehan Gotipil of Tours.

1469. Jehan Boulangier, estainmier.

By a curious peculiarity, it is in the sixteenth century that the names become scarcest; was this due to the fact, that at that period the goldsmith worked in different kinds of metals, and handled indiscriminately silver and pewter? One might believe it, when we examine the choice specimens signed by Francois Briot; assuredly, in the sixteenth century gold and silver plate was abundant, and on seeing the pieces signed by this master, where all the resources of the ornamentation of the time arc combined, we can scarcely persuade ourselves that so skilful an artist would have confined himself to working in a material of so little value, and have taken such pains in the execution of table ware, destined to be buried among people of humble means.

Could then the works of Briot have been only the essay, the rough models of pieces executed in silver, which have disappeared? On every ground we have reasons for thinking that a just renown surrounded the name of Briot, since Palissy took pleasure in reproducing in enamelled pottery the dish of his ewer, and also composed ewers inspired by these elegant conceptions. Besides, we must remember that a duplicate, in silver, of Briot's ewer, has been cast at the Rouen mint, as M. Paul Mantz informs us according to a communication from M. A. Pottier.

We are the more justified in hazarding this supposition, inasmuch as the sixteenth century, which may be called the age of the goldsmiths, has produced in Germany, as well as France, sumptuous pewters intended assuredly, whether reproduced in the precious metals or not, to decorate the abodes of princes and nobles. Some pieces exist, bearing the image of the Emperor, surrounded by the electoral princes; others representing the latter alone, as we meet with the Emperor Charles V. or Mathias.

Again, we might imagine these curious objects to be merely reproductions intended for persons who could not afford the price of the originals, and what makes us think so is, the fact that along with -official images, stamped with coats of arms, we find a number of others representing historical or religious subjects. Preisser signed a series of plaques, representing the theological virtues. We have seen the subject of Noah leaving the Ark, and offering a sacrifice to the Lord, Abraham's sacrifice, and others.