Aug 10, 2009

Shirley Pewter Selects Danforth to Continue Shirley Tradition

Shirley Pewter of Williamsburg, VA, and Danforth Pewter of Middlebury, VT, have announced that as of August 10th, Danforth has become the exclusive manufacturer and marketer of Shirley Pewter. Danforth will operate the Shirley Pewter Shop on Merchant’s Square in Colonial Williamsburg and the Shirley website at ShirleyPewterShop.com, and has become the exclusive importer and marketer of the Four Points Pewter wholesale brand.

Shirley Robertson founded Shirley Pewter in 1952 and, with his children and grandchildren, built it into one of America’s premier pewter brands. Robertson’s son Bruce ran the business for decades. He says “After almost sixty years, it felt like the right time to pass Shirley Pewter on to new owners. We wanted to safeguard Shirley’s tradition of excellence in handmade American pewter, so we’re delighted that Danforth will continue to make Shirley designs by hand in the USA. We are confident that Danforth will maintain Shirley’s high product quality and excellent customer service.”

Fred and Judi Danforth founded Danforth Pewter in 1975 in Vermont, reviving a Danforth family tradition that stretches back to 1755, when Thomas Danforth II opened a pewter workshop in colonial Connecticut. There is early American Danforth pewter in Colonial Williamsburg’s collection, the Smithsonian, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and many other American museums.

“We are honored to have been chosen to carry on the Shirley tradition,” says Danforth co-founder Fred Danforth. “When we started Danforth Pewter, Shirley had already been making great pewter for more than twenty years and was an icon in the world of American pewter.”

According to co-founder Judi Danforth, “Shirley and Danforth are a natural fit. Both companies have deep roots in American pewter, and are committed to the highest quality, making each piece by hand in the US. The Shirley Pewter Shop has carried Danforth pieces for years. The product lines are a great fit – Shirley’s beautiful traditional and colonial designs complement Danforth’s contemporary designs.”

Bram Kleppner, Danforth’s VP of Sales & Marketing, says “We will keep serving customers as we always have – in our shops, at our web stores (danforthpewter.com and shirleypewtershop.com), and at our customer service centers. The only difference is that now, they’ll be able to find more great handmade products at each of those places and at the select retailers across the country who carry Danforth and Four Points.”