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Middlebury, Vermont - January 1, 2010

Swaying back and forth in front of his lathe, shaping a disc of pewter into a cup, Fred Danforth is getting into a new rhythm. "It's a familiar dance with some new steps," he chuckles.

He's run Middlebury's Danforth Pewter for 35 years, but recently has dramatically expanded his business. "It's very much a work in progress," Danforth explains.

Danforth acquired another pewter company, Virginia's Shirley Pewter.

Shirley is a nearly 60-year-old name, one of the more famous in the small world of American pewter. But Fred Danforth says the high cost of metal and the retirement of older craftspeople have made for fewer U.S. brands. Danforth says, "We're keeping it alive!"

Danforth will manufacture Shirley's products and operate its retail store in Colonial Williamsburg, saying the takeover will eventually mean more manufacturing, sales, and support jobs in Vermont.

"It doesn't feel overwhelming," Danforth says. "But it's very challenging. And it's exciting for me and the rest of our very skilled craftspeople who are getting ready to take it on."

The challenge comes from the fact the Shirley line has a very different finish: it's highly polished, looking more like silver than the slightly grayer, satin finish of the Danforth brand. The Vermonters hope the style will help them tap into new markets, since different regions of the country seem to have different design tastes.

Referencing a large coffee server, company co-owner Judi Danforth says, "That's a beautiful piece. [It's] very useful and something that will passed down for generations."

Part of the funding for the Shirley acquisition was provided by the Vermont Community Loan Fund and the Addison County Economic Development Corporation. Shirley Pewter says it's glad the deal will keep its products American-made.

For now, Fred Danforth is staying busy learning his new line. "Eventually we'll be able to make most of the pieces they currently make," Danforth says.

In the process, this company is preserving traditional craftsmanship with the designs that are now "Made in Vermont."

Click here to visit the Shirley Pewter website.

Click here to visit the Danforth Pewter website.

Jack Thurston - WCAX News