There are fewer and fewer specialists who can achieve quality hand chasing on the surface of bronze and much of this work is now done by automated/mechanical machines. The overall quality of the surface detail helps determine both age and authenticity.Ĭhasing the surface of bronze to achieve fine detail is a difficult, time-consuming and costly process. This process is quite individual to each sculptor, similar to the brush strokes that may be recognised in a painter’s work. The skilled chaser will painstakingly add the detail to the sculpture’s surface as intended by the artist. Any scars left by the rods are carefully blended to match the rest of the surface. Once a Bronze Sculpture has been cast it is allowed to cool and the rod/sprue marks are chased and re-detailed by hand. We also demonstrate the key areas that inauthentic bronze sculptures will likely deviate from authentic antique sculptures. Below we explain some of the materials used and processes involved in creating bronze sculpture. It involved many years of practice and a great deal of talent and skill to bestow such beauty on the pieces. This allows the work to be sold commercially and economically for both the artist and the retail outlet.įake Bronzes are Bronze Sculptures produced by foundries who illegally take an original, authentic sculpture and have it remoulded and recast.Īuthentic Bronzes are considered to be those sculptures made in the lifetime and with the agreement of the artist or the artist’s heirs and are sculptures made from the original moulds or maquettes and cast by the licensed foundriesįor a rather more complicated way of looking at things you could always have a read of the College Art Association’s Statement on Standards for Sculptural Reproduction & Preventive Measures to Combat Unethical Casting in Bronze.Īs fans of antiques, we are sure you are aware that creating high-quality antique Sculpture was a fine art. This is very important for artists so that they may produce multiple examples from their original work or ‘maquette’. In some cases other ingredients are added to produce different properties in the material such as lead, zinc, aluminum, manganese, and silicon.Īll of these ingredients produce an alloy much harder than copper alone.Īlthough it is possible to produce a single and unique object in Bronze, Bronze Sculptures are generally produced as limited editions of identical figures. It is more useful for tools and also better for making statues. But if you mix a little tin into the copper, it becomes bronze, which is much harder and at the same time less brittle. The two metals are generally copper (90%) and tin (10%).Ĭopper, by itself, is too soft, and Tin on its own is too brittle it breaks too easily. How to identify authentic Antique Bronze Sculptureīronze is an alloy made by melting two different metals and mixing them. Do have a read and if you would like to know more feel free to send any questions to ask us on our Facebook or Twitter pages. This article is intended as a short guide to some important factors to consider when examining and authenticating Antique Bronze Sculpture. It is in the first few seconds when a sculpture ‘speaks’ to you that it will say ‘real’ or ‘fake’. I must admit, after 40 years in the business, the most reliable method I find when considering Antique Bronze Sculpture is my initial reaction when first seeing a bronze. There are hundreds of nuances to pick up on, which can only truly be learnt through many years of handling antiques. Of course, judging the authenticity of an antique bronze sculpture is not always simple. We are more than happy to share our expertise and tips, helping them to determine the authenticity of bronze sculptures for themselves in the future. We are delighted that both our clients and the public frequently come to us asking for help in judging the authenticity of antique bronze sculptures they have found elsewhere. As antique enthusiasts and experts, we are keen to promote growth in this wondrous sector.
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