Pewter Shearer -Small

Description

PEWTER SHEARER SMALL

A shearer is a skilled seasonal worker, usually operating as a member of a team that moves from property to property.  The shearer normally uses mechanical clippers and, crouching over the sheep, which is gripped between his knees, removes the fleece in a series of sweeping cuts.  The shearer may be occupied with his work for about 8 months of the year, turning to other rural work when no shearing is available.  Consequently, a shearer may cover vast distances in a year, searching for shearing jobs.  At the run of the century, Australia had a sheep population of a few thousand – today it numbers around 150 million.  Before 1888, all shearing was done with blade or hand shears.  In that year, machine shearing was successfully introduced and spread rapidly.  the introduction of machine shearing and the explosion in the sheep population means the shearer is still as important today as he was at the start of the sheep industry in Australia in the early 1800’s.

PEWTER

Since earlier times, craftsmen have been extracting a small amount of a shiny precious metal (Tin) from a mass of rock, and then using that metal to manufacture articles to decorate their homes.

Tin is the fourth most valuable metal in general use, after Platinum, Gold and Silver, and has been used to manufacture Pewter since those early times.

Modern Pewter is an alloy that contains 92% Tin, 6% Antimony and 2% Copper.  The Antimony is used to harden the alloy, and the Copper is used to improve its workability.

To maintain the finish of your Pewter articles, wash in hot water using liquid soap and rinse in almost boiling water.  Immediately dry and polish with a soft cloth.

Proudly crafted in Australia by Aradon Pty Ltd. using Australian Tin.

*velvet pouch colours vary / attached story card contains above information