Wares made of pewter, an alloy of tin and other metals, graced American households in the 19th century, appearing in the form of plates, porringers, lamps, and candlesticks. Indeed, pewter candlesticks were the most common method of providing illumination in the 1830s and 1840s. Today, collectors seek antique pewter candlesticks for their beauty and authenticity.

“There’s an honesty and integrity to pewter,” says Melvyn Wolf, of the pewter duo Bette & Melvyn Wolf, dealers based in Flint, Michigan (b.m.wolf@att.net). “Pewter itself is quite pretty and was very reflective,” he adds. Ranging in size from 6 inches tall to 12 inches tall, pewter candlesticks were made with trumpet, baluster, or acorn-and-spool shafts.

Today, a collector can expect to pay from $350 to $450 for a pair of 19th-century unsigned American pewter candlesticks; the price goes up if the pewter is signed. And in general, Wolf says, British pewter candlesticks are less expensive than American. “Fewer American pewter candlesticks were made to begin with, and they are highly prized because they are from this country versus imported,” says Wolf.

By the 1850s, pewter had gone out of vogue, replaced in popularity by silverplate.

To care for your antique pewter candlesticks, Wolf suggests occasional cleaning with Mr. Clean and a wet sponge, although he notes that polishing pewter is not required (an advantage over silver). And when using pewter candlesticks—he suggests inserting a piece of foil as a bobeche inside the base to catch wax drips.