how to tell bronze from spelter

Painted or gilded figures should not be allowed to get wet but should only be dusted lightly with a soft haired artists brush. WebHow to Identify a Quality Bronze Sculpture - YouTube Video for youtube video. Get some so-called 'gold' paint (it's not really gold, it's actually made with bronze powder) and a tube of artist's oil paint of a dark red shade (like burnt sienna). Where Can My Sculpture be Fixed and What is The Repair Cost? Please turn on JavaScript for the best possible experience. What might be a minor chip or crack in a piece of porcelain can significantly devalue a piece of glass. Still, I personally don't care much for the effect. Have a great holidays season and happy new year! The color of your spelter clock case appears to me to be more like copper rather than bronze. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. So it is important to know how to distinguish them.First of all zinc and spelter are lighter and more fragile than bronze, and consequently they can have easily visible cracks. Spelter originated in China and East India, before it was imported to Europe as early as the 16th century. Figures are often thinly cast and fragile, so alwyas make sure you hold them at the most solid part. 10am-8pm, 73, rue des Rosiers (entrance through the porch or via Marie Curie Street). 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. Spelter was made to look like bronze. Look carefully at each item you're considering buying, inside and out, upside down, and right side up. Plaster is very porous and water soluble, and should only ever be gently dusted with a soft bristled brush. To find out what is your sculpture made of, see tests below. This exact science of production has pushed spelter to be as collectable as bronze because of the higher quality of finish.

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. In Carnival glass (an early 20th century commercially produced glass), marigold is a fairly common color; Carnival glass in shades of red is more collectible because fewer pieces were made.

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Unusual size or shape. Bronze is an alloy, two or more metals melted together, in this case copper and tin melted at 1,400 degrees F. The melted bronze is usually poured into a mold replacing the original wax image. Mar 23, 2006. Our spelter stock also contains some beautiful 19th century decorative items. To test for spelter, scratch the base of the piece. Brasses containing zinc may be termed spelter, as may zinc ingots formed by smelting. Examine the item for patches where the patina, paint or gilding has worn through, revealing the base metal. Turn the item upside down and determine if it feels top heavy. Some examples of rarities in terms of size or shape include silver spoons or other utensils with a specialized purpose, such as silver stuffing spoons used for stuffing a turkey or goose or marrow spoons used for coaxing the marrow out of bones. If the object has any cracks visible, its likely to be spelter rather than bronze. is an arts writer and author specializing in art, architecture and design history. Its difficult to spot the differences between the two just by looking at them. Most people wouldnt know the difference. He guessed that Rasmussens piece probably began life as a lamp and had lost a few pieces through the past century. Some examples of rarities in terms of size or shape include silver spoons or other utensils with a specialized purpose, such as silver stuffing spoons used for stuffing a turkey or goose or marrow spoons used for coaxing the marrow out of bones. This website uses cookies to offer the best possible experience. RADAR is an acronym that stands for Rarity, Aesthetics, Desirability, Authenticity, and Really great condition.\r\n\r\nWhen 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.\r\n

Rarity

\r\nWhat constitutes a rarity? If no one else on your block owns one, you know that it's worth something. grey color. Sherman is also the author of three film reference books, with a fourth currently under way. Manufacturer, ca. Visiting art galleries and museums is one great way to see antique objects of art that are considered aesthetically pleasing. WebWhat are spelter figures? If there are bumps and blemishes in the surface and a lack of definition in the hands and face and, in particular, any ugly seams, then the item isn't an authentic bronze. WebSpelter is softer and more brittle than bronze and is prone to corrosion about which very little can be done. If the scratch reveals a copper / gold / yellow color it is bronze. Edit: See post #4 from this thread: Adamantine Finish Care and Protection The information about finishing spelter is about half-way down. The challenge when it comes to how to tell bronze from spelter, is that spelter naturally ages over time to closely resemble bronze. Normally you solder spelter items that are broken but for a number of reasons the process can be quite difficult. [2] The best works were finished to a high quality and often decoratively painted, and signed. You can also get the effect by applying darker metal wax to a lighter base coat. Bronzes are extremely heavy. The first question sculpture owners often ask is: "Should I bother to fix this?" It's stronger and tougher than resin, which makes it easier to pass off as bronze. Spelter has become highly desirable allowing collectors to purchase an original high-quality piece at a reasonable price. Dummies has always stood for taking on complex concepts and making them easy to understand. Anytime a piece sustains damage, its value decreases. Search Results 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. To make an investment in sculpture it helps to have an understanding of the materials used to create the work. 295 Willesden Lane, London, NW2 5HY Zinc and lead, while bronze is made of copper and tin. Bronze is extremely hard and therefore unlikely to display any damage at all other than to the surface patina. How Can I Tell If My Tag Heuer Watch Is Authentic?, Differences between earthenware stoneware and ironstone. Limestone, sandstone and coade stone form a weathered surface crust which if removed will expose a vulnerable crumbly surface beneath. Also, knowing the flaws of a piece can be a negotiating tool. Also, knowing the flaws of a piece can be a negotiating tool.

\r\nHere's a quick guideline for the types of flaws you can look out for when examining antiques:\r\n

Scratches
Breaks and tears
Dings and gouges
Chips
Cracks
Fractures
Signs of repair, such as glue, runny paint, mismatched screws or nails, or putty
Missing parts
Discoloration
On figurines, broken noses or missing fingers

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The real question is how much does the damage bother you? What year would this been produced? If it's signed, is the signature real? 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. When you can look at a piece without wishing this or that were different about it, when all the elements of it blend together in perfect harmony, and when it has an overall pleasing appearance, then that item really has it in the aesthetics department.\r\n\r\nSome folks believe that an object's aesthetic value is a matter of personal taste. Finally, bronze is heavier than spelter. Care and Maintenance In extreme cold stonework can split or shatter as moisture absorbed by the stone expands and contracts with freezing. Mechanics (Physics): The Study of Motion. Perhaps a porcelain figurine's finger has broken and been repaired by an expert.

\r\n\r\nDamage affects the value of different categories in different ways. - Mon - Sun. In the Art Deco period (from the second decade of the twentieth century reaching a peak in the 1920s and 1930s), bronze was the choice of material for many sculptors creating fashionable objets dart, identified with the fashion, theatre, music, and films of the era. A mixture of tin and copper, bronze has been used for thousands of years to create both full-sized statues and smaller figurines through the process of casting -- i.e., pouring the molten alloy into a mould. Dusting alone should suffice. One reason is that you don't know the composition of the spelter - it can be anything - one reason is that because you don't know the composition you don't know which solder to use and a third reason is that the melting point of the By entering your email address and clicking the Submit button, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy & to receive electronic communications from Dummies.com, which may include marketing promotions, news and updates. It should feel warmer, Corrosion also occurs more easily in spelter. On the other hand, some pieces of art and furniture have almost universal aesthetic appeal. Resin: Sometimes we receive Bronze looking sculpture which was made out of Resin which is epoxy resin and bronze powder blended before casting. The biggest choice of french mantels in marble. 1 New sculpture commonly sold as "bronze" with wholesale prices. Antiques often have a greater chance of retaining value than new machine-made furniture. An inexpensive alloy that is easily cast and worked, spelter was used from the 1860s in the manufacture of candlesticks, clock cases, tableware, and light fixtures. However if only the items base is heavy, it could be a spelter sculpture attached to a different base, giving it extra weight. The quality of spelter is in its casting. Buyers of Art Deco sculptures are often confused about the significance of different metal materials bronze, spelter, metal alloys used in their creation. Early twentieth-century Art Nouveau and Art Deco figures and lamps were often made of spelter. In ancient times bronze was a term that could denote copper or the far more durable alloy fusion of copper and tin. Here's where your specialization comes in: You need to know the types of pieces Tiffany made the texture of the glass, the colors, and the styles and make sure that all the elements make sense before you can believe the signature.\r\n\r\n

The type of material: Is that bronze statue the real thing? Research as much information on the sculpture and the artist before considering repairing your sculpture. WebIt can be distinguished from bronze by scratching its patina: untarnished spelter is white, while bronze is yellow. WebNot sure if ours is Spelter or Bronze, and would like to know how to tell the difference? After casting the body of the work it can be painted or gilded. Since bronze is made of copper and tin, it doesn't have the yellow coloring that brass does. Expected (estimated) weight of a 29" statue if bronze or spelter. Supposedly the one we have was purchased in Europe a good many years ago. For example, with glassware, mint implies no chips, cracks, or breaks. 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. Aging patina is desirable; do not rub off the patina or aged brass to regain the shine, it will reduce the items value substantially. Pliny the Elder (1st century AD), describes various types of bronzes used for decorative artistic purposes (Nat History, XXIV). Sapphire-colored cream pitchers from this era are rare. Antiques often have a greater chance of retaining value than new machine-made furniture. 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. Object has any cracks visible, its likely to be more like copper rather than bronze and is to... Please turn on JavaScript in your browser be done copper / gold / color. And the artist before considering repairing your sculpture form a weathered surface crust which if removed will expose vulnerable!, differences between the two just by looking at them and tin chip or crack in a piece glass... Clock case appears to me to be more like copper rather than.... Figures should not be allowed to get wet but should only ever be gently dusted with a soft bristled.. Site, be sure to turn on JavaScript in your browser best experience on our site be. A high quality and often decoratively painted, and signed powder blended before.. Bronze powder blended before casting in a piece of porcelain can significantly devalue a piece can painted... To have an understanding of the work it can be done be or. N'T care much for the best possible experience to offer the best works finished! Gently dusted with a soft haired artists brush as much information on other! Before casting an investment in sculpture it helps to have an understanding of the piece cold... 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In a piece of porcelain can significantly devalue a piece of porcelain can devalue. Fixed and what is the signature real owners often ask is: `` should I bother to this!, rue des Rosiers ( entrance through the past century color it is bronze considered aesthetically.! Art Deco figures and lamps were often made of copper and tin is also the author of three film books. Should only ever be gently dusted with a fourth currently under way only be dusted lightly a! Is spelter or bronze, and would like to know how to tell bronze from,. Zinc may be termed spelter, is that spelter naturally ages over time closely! Porous and water soluble, and would like to know how to the. Patches where the patina, paint or gilding has worn through, revealing the base metal patches where the,... Spelter, as may zinc ingots formed by smelting on the sculpture and the artist before considering your. To spot the differences between earthenware stoneware and ironstone care and Maintenance in extreme cold can...

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