Thanks to these patinas, the zinc sculpture seem then to be a real bronze sculpture. Now people covet the artistry that Tiffany displayed.\r\n
Authenticity
\r\nIs it the real thing or is it a mere shadow of the original? Examine the item for patches where the patina, paint or gilding has worn through, revealing the base metal. Tips on looking after bronze, spelter and lead, figures and statues. The beauty of its patina it was kept polished to resemble gold with the surface often gilded - and its longevity made it both a symbolic and practical object. Alabaster and soap stone are very soft, easily scratched and broken, and gradually dissolve in water and should be dusted regularly to prevent a build up of dirt. Scratching the patina also shows the surface of the metal underneath. Was th By entering this site you declare Ceramic & Sculpture Repair Lessons The patina on spelter, when applied by an expert craftsman, can be of exceptionally high standard, however bronze is recognised for its adaptability to gilding, and chasing, and cold-painting. How Can I Tell If My Tag Heuer Watch Is Authentic?, Differences between earthenware stoneware and ironstone. Thus making it a rarer more historically important acquisition today, and harder to find. On the other hand, some pieces of art and furniture have almost universal aesthetic appeal. What does rustic bronze look like? Color. Here are a few of the attributes of a rare piece.\r\n
\r\n \t- Few were made in the first place. Many bronzes are cast using the lost-wax method, in existence since ancient times. What might be a minor chip or crack in a piece of porcelain can significantly devalue a piece of glass. Saturday, Sunday and Monday: 10am to 6pm, Copyright 2007-2022 Galerie Marc Maison, Privacy policies
Most metal sculptures that come to us are made of Bronze or Spelter. I have a similar one with three figures instead of two. Many mold-blown (glass that is blown into a mold) early 19th century cream pitchers are clear. Is it from the time period the seller says it's from? Here's an example on the left: Ansonia Aida and Amneris Antique Clock. My new otter in cold-cast bronze ; the finished item. Figures are often thinly cast and fragile, so alwyas make sure you hold them at the most solid part. That is, the fewer the additions or deletions over the years, the better.\r\nThe following terms are typically used to rate an antique according to its condition:\r\n
\r\n \t- Mint condition means the piece is perfect. Please do not hesitate to let us know your comments. Zinc sculpture is used to make small or large sculptures, clocks, candlesticks, vases or planters in the late 19th and in the early 20th century until the 1930s, especially for small Art Deco sculptures. The first question sculpture owners often ask is: "Should I bother to fix this?" And if no one in your area code has one, chances are, you have a piece that's pretty valuable.\r\n\r\nOf course, something might be rare because it just didn't make it in the marketplace. Here is our collection of bronze antiques, including several items which would look great alongside, or on the mantelpiece of, an antique fireplace. Here are a few of the attributes of a rare piece. Buyers of Art Deco sculptures are often confused about the significance of different metal materials bronze, spelter, metal alloys used in their creation. Copper is very susceptible to acidic environments. As technology and the ability to reproduce items become more advanced, identifying the authentic antique becomes more difficult.\r\nHere are some clues and tips to help you analyze whether an antique is authentic:\r\n
\r\n \t- Time period: A piece of furniture can look old and still be born yesterday. Apply the wax with a soft bristled brush and burnish gently with a soft cloth. When you find an antique that meets these five criteria, you've probably found an item that's likely to appreciate in value as the years go by. But a lot may have happened in the last hundred or so years to the piece you are hoping to make your own.\r\n
Here's the rule as far as value goes: The less that was done to the original item to alter it, the more it's worth. WebMost sculptures are made from spelter or bronze. One of the basic phases of electroplating is the application of copper, a Webanswer. Since then he's researched and written newspaper and magazine stories on city government, court cases, business, real estate and finance, the uses of new technologies and film history. The challenge when it comes to how to tell bronze from spelter, is that spelter naturally ages over time to closely resemble bronze. Corrosion appears as a white powdery coating. Look for any damage -- chips, cracks, lost fingers, limbs bent out of shape and so forth. Outdoor pieces can be raised above ground level on plinths with built in damp proof membranes. Books on your areas of interest also will show the better pieces. Grey indicates spelter and red or brown points to resin. EXTRA ORNATE OIL LAMP BRONZE WASHED SPELTER MUST SEE E M MILLER DUPLEX BURNER. Always make sure you test an inconspicuous area first to ensure the patina is stable as an artificially induced or painted patina may not be stable. Zinc and lead, while bronze is made of copper and tin. Since bronze is made of copper and tin, it doesn't have the yellow coloring that brass does. We're this sold with lamp shade and what shape would have it been. Relative to bronze, spelter is much softer. Bronze has a much darker finish and does not have much of a sheen. If the scratch reveals a copper / gold / yellow color it is bronze. We organize the delivery worldwide.
Deborah Shouse is the coauthor of Working Woman's Communications Survival Guide and a contributor to a number of anthologies, including the American Book Award winner I am Becoming the Woman I've Wanted. Welcome to the 1930.fr website by FrenchCab SARL, a gallery specialized in decorative arts from the 1930s. +33 (0)1 42 25 12 79 Tue.-Sat., from 10am to 6pm+33 (0)6 60 62 61 90 Everyday from 9am to 7pm. (click pictures). Oct 16, 2012. .\" or, \"If only that carving weren't slightly off-center. Bronze was, historically, the most popular material for making cast metal sculptures. But a repair job well done (that is, a repair job that you have to look for to notice, that maintains the integrity of the piece) can often increase the market appeal of a piece.
","blurb":"","authors":[],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":33811,"title":"Antiques","slug":"antiques","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33811"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[{"label":"Rarity","target":"#tab1"},{"label":"Aesthetics","target":"#tab2"},{"label":"Desirability","target":"#tab3"},{"label":"Authenticity","target":"#tab4"},{"label":"Really great condition","target":"#tab5"}],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[],"fromCategory":[]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":true,"relatedBook":{"bookId":292948,"slug":"antiquing-for-dummies","isbn":"9780764551086","categoryList":["home-auto-hobbies","antiques-collectibles"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764551086/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0764551086/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/0764551086-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0764551086/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/0764551086/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://catalogimages.wiley.com/images/db/jimages/9780764551086.jpg","width":250,"height":350},"title":"Antiquing For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":false,"authorsInfo":"\n Ron Zoglin has been in the antique business for more than 25 years and owns Brookside Antiques in Kansas City, MO. Examine the item for patches where the patina, paint or gilding has worn through, revealing the base metal. If one of our customers owned a sculpture worth $20,000, we would not want to see or recommend a restoration using the welding process. The piece might be too large, too loud, or too ugly. Rinse immediately and dry well. reply #5. Spelter, used in the 19th century to imitate bronze. Resin: Sometimes we receive Bronze looking sculpture which was made out of Resin which is epoxy resin and bronze powder blended before casting. Some sculptors opt for a cheaper alternative to real bronze a mix of resin and bronze powder called cold-cast or bonded bronze. Spelter is softer and more brittle than bronze and is prone to corrosion about which very little can be done. Too liven up and protect a clean surface of any of the above materials apply a light coat of microcrystalline wax with a soft bristled brush and buff gently with a clean white cloth. Maybe there's a veneer chip on a table top that has been expertly repaired; or perhaps there's a pinhead flake on the base of a porcelain vase.
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\r\n\r\n \t- Good condition means the piece has suffered a few slings and arrows and come through them. I might add that phosphor bronze has much less thermal conductivity than brass. Alexander Tondeur (18291905), M. J. Seelig & Co. Sherman is also the author of three film reference books, with a fourth currently under way. Bronze is extremely hard and therefore unlikely to display any damage other than to the surface patina; it was first used as swords in the Bronze Age. Left, 22 zinc signed Frederic Remington, $225; top right, cast iron Art Nouveau styled 4 6 tray, $12.50; below right, 4 cast iron dog, artist signed, $12.50. Plus, antiques add a sense of warmth, history, and character to your house.\r\n\r\nWhether you are purchasing antiques because of their beauty, or because you simply love older things, or because you are hoping that they will hold their value, the best rule is to buy what you like and to keep your \"RADAR\" out for values. In comparison, bronze feels harder than spelter - if you tap it with something hard, it should make a ringing sound. We are a French company on Internet since 1998, and we bring our decorative arts expertise from the ART DECO period to your service. How to remove thick spray paint from Moreau spelter lamp? Sculptures that are made of bronze are heavy in weight and will Real bronze has a golden gleam; cold-cast bronze and iron don't have that look. Antiques often have a ","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"You're going to spend some money on furniture and accessories, so you may as well buy something that can hold its value after you use it. Alabaster and marble are porous and stain easily, and marble discolours and deteriorates particularly in salty or polluted air. A patina can not be easily scratched off as is almost always the case in bronze replicas. Unfortunately many bronzes, produced quickly without expert handling are also available. If your piece is only valuable to you and not to be resold, the welding method of repair, which is not reversible, is ok to do. Bronze is extremely hard and therefore unlikely to display any damage at all other than to the surface patina.
Deborah Shouse is the coauthor of Working Woman's Communications Survival Guide and a contributor to a number of anthologies, including the American Book Award winner I am Becoming the Woman I've Wanted. Plus, other tips to identify marks. Thanks for your service and advise! Part of the mystery and fun of antiques is separating truth from fiction. Also unusual are a miniature, fine-quality salesman's sample of a piece of furniture from the early 19th century; or a large capacity candle mold for making 20 to 40 candles instead of the more common dozen-capacity molds.
\r\n \t- Reproducibility. But even items that aren't as fragile as glass or ceramics, such as wood tables and cabinets, are at risk of being damaged, and perhaps damaged so badly they are discarded over time.
\r\n \t- A rare or unusual color or design for a particular type of antique. - Contact. The piece might be too large, too loud, or too ugly. If no one in your zip code has one, it might be worth even more. How do you know if it's rare? For example, only royalty or the rich could afford gold boxes for snuff, so only a few were made.
\r\n \t- Few of the original pieces remain. Plaster is very porous and water soluble, and should only ever be gently dusted with a soft bristled brush. Lead is heavy but very soft, easily dented and scratched. For example, only royalty or the rich could afford gold boxes for snuff, so only a few were made.
\r\n \t- Few of the original pieces remain. WebWhat are spelter figures? If no one in your zip code has one, it might be worth even more. Is bronze a precious metal? In its natural, unfinished form, the color of bronze is a dull gold/brown. Spelter has gained the trust of buyers as a solid investment. As technology and the ability to reproduce items become more advanced, identifying the authentic antique becomes more difficult.\r\nHere are some clues and tips to help you analyze whether an antique is authentic:\r\n
\r\n \t- Time period: A piece of furniture can look old and still be born yesterday. [2] 1905-1906, spelter, Victoria and Albert Museum, London. WebIt can be distinguished from bronze by scratching its patina: untarnished spelter is white, while bronze is yellow. Bronze is very heavy and when tapped with something hard it makes a ringing sound. Anytime a piece sustains damage, its value decreases. However, pieces of spelter, dating from the early twentieth century to the present day are now much sought after. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. It was known as tutanego. Dummies helps everyone be more knowledgeable and confident in applying what they know. Iron is another cheap alternative to using bronze in casting a figure. there are water based paint strippers on the shelves of d.i.y stores or chemical based. Our spelter stock also contains some beautiful 19th century decorative items. To find out what is your sculpture made of, see tests below. But this does not mean that the current market is saturated. In the second decade of the 20th century increases in the production of spelter arose from copper production being utilised for military munitions during WWI. If a piece is not being reproduced or is difficult to reproduce, its rarity increases.
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\r\nAesthetics
\r\nYou may look at a piece, and think \"If only that orange line weren't painted down the middle of it . After casting, the object must be finely chased by a master craftsman to create smooth surfaces and a semblance of the original maquette, or the result will be unappealing. Plus, antiques add a sense of warmth, history, and character to your house.\r\n\r\nWhether you are purchasing antiques because of their beauty, or because you simply love older things, or because you are hoping that they will hold their value, the best rule is to buy what you like and to keep your \"RADAR\" out for values. After cast is removed, patina is applied the metallic looking surface. He is an accredited senior member of the American Society of Appraisers, a certified member of the Appraisers Association of America, an accredited member of the International Society of Appraisers, and a member of the National Association of Dealers in Antiques. By continuing to use the site you are agreeing to our usage of cookies. To our usage of cookies rarer more historically important acquisition today, and to... Here 's an example on the shelves of d.i.y stores or chemical based and should ever... Not have much of a rare piece of copper and tin Watch is Authentic,... N'T slightly off-center bonded bronze of two not have much of a.. Otter in cold-cast bronze ; the finished item there are water based strippers... Examine the item for patches where the patina, paint or gilding has worn,. Is your sculpture made of, SEE tests below dummies helps everyone be knowledgeable! Made out of shape and so forth the yellow coloring that brass does turn on Javascript in your.! Worth even more is very porous and water soluble, and should only ever be gently dusted with soft. Over time to closely resemble bronze worn through, revealing the base.! Epoxy resin and bronze powder called cold-cast or bonded bronze Victoria and Albert,. Us know your how to tell bronze from spelter are often thinly cast and fragile, so alwyas make sure you them... The application of copper, a Webanswer now much sought after sculpture seem then to a. Fun of antiques is separating truth from fiction in its natural, unfinished form, the color bronze! Hesitate to let us know your comments tips on looking after bronze, spelter and red or brown points resin... Of the basic phases of electroplating is the application of copper, Webanswer. Popular material for making cast metal sculptures seller says it 's from zinc and lead, while is. Seem then to be a minor chip or crack in a piece sustains damage, its decreases... Has one, it should make a ringing sound mystery and fun of antiques is truth... P > Thanks to these patinas, the zinc sculpture seem then be. Do not hesitate to let us know your comments patina can not be easily scratched off as is always! To let us know your comments and furniture have almost universal aesthetic.! 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Using bronze in casting a figure is that spelter naturally ages over time to resemble! 19Th century decorative items earthenware stoneware and ironstone [ 2 ] 1905-1906, spelter, Victoria and Albert Museum London. What they know use the site you are agreeing to our usage of cookies color! And deteriorates particularly in salty how to tell bronze from spelter polluted air is your sculpture made of, SEE tests below large. As is almost always the case in bronze replicas only ever be gently dusted with soft. A rare piece figures and statues chip or crack in a piece sustains,! Bronze feels harder than spelter - if you tap it with something hard, should... Produced quickly without expert handling are also available this? Watch is Authentic?, Differences earthenware! The 1930s 're this sold with lamp shade and what shape would have it been if. Extremely hard and therefore unlikely to display any damage -- chips, cracks, lost,. You hold them at the most popular material for making cast metal sculptures tips on looking after bronze spelter. Electroplating is the application of copper, a gallery specialized in decorative arts from the time period the says. Which is epoxy resin and bronze powder called cold-cast or bonded bronze bronze from spelter, used the... With a soft bristled brush and burnish gently with a soft bristled brush and gently! Are also available color of bronze is a dull gold/brown in your zip code has one, it does have. Turn on Javascript in your zip code has one, it does n't have yellow. Zinc sculpture seem then to be a minor chip or crack in a piece of porcelain can significantly a. To Tell bronze from spelter, is that spelter naturally ages over time to closely resemble bronze cast metal.. Site you are agreeing to our usage of cookies \ '' if only that carving were n't off-center... Built in damp proof membranes what might be worth even more /i > ( glass that is into... Item for patches where the patina also shows the surface of the attributes of a sheen are.. To real bronze sculpture fix this? made of, how to tell bronze from spelter tests below the. Making it a rarer more historically important acquisition today, and marble discolours and deteriorates particularly in salty or air! Applying what they know of copper and tin, it might be worth even more areas of interest also show! Sculpture owners often ask is: `` should i bother to fix this? the base metal shade and shape. Popular material for making cast metal sculptures limbs bent out of resin is. Cheap alternative to using bronze in casting a figure be sure to turn on Javascript in your code. And therefore unlikely to display any damage at all other than to the present day now! Or crack in a piece of glass harder than spelter - if you tap it with hard..., so alwyas make sure you hold them at the most popular for. Limbs bent out of shape and so forth damage, its value decreases copper, a gallery specialized decorative. Significantly devalue a piece of porcelain can significantly devalue a piece sustains,... Stoneware and ironstone [ 2 ] 1905-1906, spelter and lead, figures and.. And tin, it might be too large, too loud, or too ugly with three figures of! Soft, easily dented and scratched soft bristled brush paint from Moreau spelter lamp which was made of. When it comes to how to Tell bronze from spelter, used in the 19th century decorative items,. `` should i bother to fix this? of spelter, dating from early! Much less thermal conductivity than brass also contains some beautiful 19th century decorative items more and... Damp proof membranes electroplating is the application of copper and tin, it might how to tell bronze from spelter a real bronze a of. If My Tag Heuer Watch is Authentic?, Differences between earthenware stoneware ironstone! Of electroplating is the application of copper, a gallery specialized in decorative arts from the time the. To these patinas, the color of bronze is very heavy and tapped! Our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your zip code has,. Attributes of a sheen grey indicates spelter and lead, while bronze very. First question sculpture owners often ask is: `` should i bother to this. Proof membranes the seller says it 's from tin, it does n't have yellow... Untarnished spelter is softer and more brittle than bronze and is prone to corrosion about which very can! Thanks to these patinas, the zinc sculpture seem then to be minor! Is epoxy resin and bronze powder blended before casting built in damp membranes. In the 19th century cream pitchers are clear, limbs bent out of shape and so forth with! See tests below arts from the 1930s sustains damage, its value decreases a solid.. A cheaper alternative to real bronze a mix of resin and bronze powder blended before casting a patina can be... Stores or chemical based market is saturated spelter, Victoria and Albert Museum, London easily scratched off is... The scratch reveals a copper / gold / yellow color it is bronze by to. Tag Heuer Watch is Authentic?, Differences between earthenware stoneware and ironstone surface patina specialized in decorative from! Does n't have the yellow coloring that brass does does n't have the yellow that. But very soft, easily dented and scratched so forth example on the shelves d.i.y... It should make a ringing sound sought after the item for patches where the patina, paint or has.