Safe to drink from antique tankards?

Lead content varies depending on the maker and the specific alloy grade. Lower quality tavern measures often contain lead which can leach into acidic drinks like ale or cider. Most people choose to display them rather than drink from them. If you intend to use one regularly, testing the interior for lead is a sensible precaution.

My grandmother left me this heavy grey pitcher and she always used to polish it with silver dip, is that actually bad for the metal?

Silver dip is too harsh for tin alloys. It strips away the natural patina and leaves the surface looking unnaturally white and stark. A gentle wash in warm soapy water removes loose dirt without damaging the metal. For stubborn grime, a soft cloth and a dedicated mild metal polish will lift the grease.

Clean dark scale off old pewter?

Heavy black oxide scale sits firmly on the surface. Removing it requires chemical baths or abrasive buffing. Collectors generally prefer the dark, undisturbed surface. Stripping it back reveals pitted metal underneath.

I have a stack of old plates that all have slightly different hammered marks on the back, why would they be mismatched like that?

Households bought plates individually over many decades. A family might purchase a few from one maker, and add more from another workshop years later as their needs grew or pieces were lost. These touchmarks act as a simple maker signature. A mixed stack reflects a working household's organic accumulation rather than a single ordered set.

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Antique Pewter from the 19th Century

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Antique pewter encompasses a vast range of dull-grey utilitarian hollowware and flatware, cast from tin alloys and primarily used for everyday dining and drinking before the mass production of cheap ceramics.