how to tell bronze from spelter

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. Because of its hardness, it is less susceptible to wear and tear. Demand for spelter increased during the mid-nineteenth century. \"https://sb\" : \"http://b\") + \".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js\";el.parentNode.insertBefore(s, el);})();\r\n","enabled":true},{"pages":["all"],"location":"footer","script":"\r\n
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A few decades after Tiffany created his now-famous lamps, some people thought of them as gaudy, and so prices were steals by today's standards. Spelter sculptures are fairly light and have a Bronze is unlikely to show damage and is less corrosive than spelter, however its also susceptible to bronze disease. He has been published in The Observer and Cosmopolitan. Rix holds a Master of Arts degree in English from Magdalen College, Oxford. The biggest choice of french mantels in marble. Anytime a piece sustains damage, its value decreases. Visiting art galleries and museums is one great way to see antique objects of art that are considered aesthetically pleasing. (click pictures). Welding or Adhesive? Aging patina is desirable; do not rub off the patina or aged brass to regain the shine, it will reduce the items value substantially. It is an important decision because restoration of metal sculptures using welding or brazing, that generate intensive heat, damages relatively large areas of the original patina requiring repainting / antiquing covering a much greater surface than the break area. Tips on looking after bronze, spelter and lead, figures and statues. It can be distinguished from bronze by scratching its patina: untarnished spelter is white, while bronze is yellow. Bronze is created from over 90% copper. 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Plus, other tips to identify marks. 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. Keep metal sculptures away from moisture. Bronze is solid but if the base of the piece has been scratched with a tougher metal, then it should have a gold or yellow colour. What makes a spelter sculpture look like bronze? Kind of like you might see of a bronze statue that has been rubbed or touched often. Painted or gilded figures should not be allowed to get wet but should only be dusted lightly with a soft haired artists brush. Wide choice of architectural elements. I love it and paid $20 with no shade. After the object was cast, the surface was either plated with copper, which was then patinated to a dark bronze colour, or simply covered with a coloured wax or lacquer. Dust indoor lead regularly. 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.
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    • The type of material: Is that bronze statue the real thing? 75, rue des Rosiers93400 Saint Ouen Opening Hours :Friday from 10am to 12.30am,Saturday, Sunday and Monday: 10am to 6pm,and everyday by appointment. Publications include, 2010 - 2019 French Cab, Jean-Nol Cabanettes - 1930.fr. For furniture, mint implies no repairs or missing pieces and an original finish.
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    • Excellent condition means that the piece has minor flaws. If a piece is not being reproduced or is difficult to reproduce, its rarity increases.
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    Aesthetics

    \r\nYou may look at a piece, and think \"If only that orange line weren't painted down the middle of it . How can you tell if a Remington statue is real? Some fakes use spelter zinc with a bronze finish but it isn't as richly detailed or as shiny as real bronze. Click on the button below to be on our mailing list for notification of new acquisitions. My selection 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. 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. Whether your ornaments are bronze or spelter, its best to keep them away from any moisture to avoid corrosion. Today, it can be hard to tell the difference between real bronze and fake unless you physically inspect it for characteristics like its weight, magnetism and its patina. 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
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    • Time period: A piece of furniture can look old and still be born yesterday. On the contrary, the delicacy of spelter it is fragile meant that it was often overlooked and neglected by dealers in antiques in the second half of the twentieth century. Thanks for your service and advise! In the first half of the twentieth century more decorative objects, particularly small sculptures, were cast in spelter than bronze. - Site map The dark or greenish brown patina that forms on bronze is highly desirable and should be preserved; so don't use metal polish or solvents on any bronze or any water on indoor bronzes. Was th By entering this site you declare Based in the United Kingdom, Graham Rix has been writing on the arts, antiquing and other enthusiasms since 1987. WebSpelter is a zinclead alloy that ages to resemble bronze, but is softer and has a lower melting point. Normally you solder spelter items that are broken but for a number of reasons the process can be quite difficult. Oct 16, 2012. 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. If you strike a hollow place on the sculpture with a wooden dowel, resin gives a dull thud instead of a ring. If it scratch easily and feels like plastic, it is resin. Edit: See post #4 from this thread: Adamantine Finish Care and Protection The information about finishing spelter is about half-way down. Perhaps a porcelain figurine's finger has broken and been repaired by an expert.
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    \r\nDamage affects the value of different categories in different ways. But spelter does not wear as well, is lighter weight, cannot be cast in as fine a detail, and is far less valuable. 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. Was this a copy of a larger Moreau sculpted? There was a shortage of copper to make bronze, due to its use in World War I military weaponry, leading to the rise of spelter for decoration instead. Sculptures that are made of bronze are heavy in weight and will Unlike the bronze, that the zinc sculpture wanted to imitate, it is impossible to work the zink when this material is cold. Early twentieth-century Art Nouveau and Art Deco figures and lamps were often made of spelter. She is beautiful. That is, the fewer the additions or deletions over the years, the better. But this does not mean that the current market is saturated. Use Your Eyes. After cast is removed, patina is applied the metallic looking surface. Still, if you like it, well, this aspect of rarity can work to your advantage.\r\n\r\nHow do you know if it's rare? 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
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    • Mint condition means the piece is perfect. there are water based paint strippers on the shelves of d.i.y stores or chemical based. If it flakes or scratches off easily, it's probably a painted on patina-substitute. Lift the item in your hand. In this case, it is very simple to distinguish the color of the original metal, without patina, which, in the case of the spelter, will be white and gray while the bronze would have been yellow. In the early 20th century, sculptors such as Jacques Limousin used spelter heavily in their manufacture of Art Nouveau and Art Deco figurines and other ornaments. In fact, spelter is referred to as "the poor man's bronze," because it was created for those who admired bronze and couldn't afford it. You can hire 100 people to trample a new Oriental rug to give it a worn in look.
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    • Artist or company: An object with a Tiffany signature is worth more than an object without one. 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? What are the disadvantages of shielding a thermometer? Antiques often have a greater chance of retaining value than new machine-made furniture. folder_special It should feel warmer, . In the past spelter has often been overlooked by art dealers in preference to bronze. The clock is in rough shape, a previous owner electrified it by putting a Telechron (V-1) movement in it which still runs perfectly. spelter How do you tell if a statue is made of bronze? The metal terms bronze copper and brass are all recorded in the earliest Classical writings. Today, art dealers are taking great interest in spelter, first introduced to Europe from the Orient by Dutch and Portuguese traders in the seventeenth century. Spelter is mainly composed of zinc, a silvery white metal. Whether you keep them indoors or outside, proper care should be an owners top priority. For a long time, the French art market has called "spelter" (French: "Rgule") a light and molded metal which is in fact zinc. Art Deco figurines of women, often dancing, were made of bronze or spelter (white metal) for the main part, ivory for the hands and faces. There was a lack of copper for bronze-making thus pushing forward spelter as a notable decorative material of choice. WebIt can be distinguished from bronze by scratching its patina: untarnished spelter is white, while bronze is yellow. One difference is that spelter has a lower melting point, but thats not a very helpful check for an antiques collector! In this case, it is very simple to distinguish the color of the original metal, without patina, which, in the case of the spelter, will be white and gray while the bronze would have been yellow. For example, with glassware, mint implies no chips, cracks, or breaks. Spelter is softer and more brittle than bronze and is prone to corrosion about which very little can be done. A graduate of Oberlin College, Fraser Sherman began writing in 1981. If the object has any cracks visible, its likely to be spelter rather than bronze. And what is today's value ? In Classical times bronze was a prized material for life-size sculptures, and smaller temple offerings. If no one in your zip code has one, it might be worth even more. Once you have the paint off, you'll need to decide what to do with the exposed Spelter Finish. By contrast, spelter and resin are both comparatively light, but they are sometimes attached to heavy wood or stone bases to give them extra weight. Major repairs or the restoration of stonework should always be carried out by a qualified professional, who will use a special resin compound mixed with ground up stone to match the object. These are to be avoided by collectors. Test Two: Lift the item in your hand. HI MOONMOM. M A Moreau lady / child bronze sculpture real or fake. However, with increasing interest and desire to purchase original Art Deco pieces, collectors are looking to period objects made from a variety of materials. 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. Heres a quick guide for how to identify each material - and therefore determine if something is made of spelter or bronze. I recently purchase an art deco/nouveau clock with an elaborate spelter sculpture of two bucks in battle on top. Spelter is a lower value metal also known as white metal or pot metal. 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. Is it from the time period the seller says it's from? Most metal sculptures that come to us are made of Bronze or Spelter. Brass has a lighter finish with a bright sheen, comparable to the look of gold. Like bronze, spelter is an alloy, which is a metal combined with other elements. Sapphire-colored cream pitchers from this era are rare. Manufacturer, ca. Unfortunately many bronzes, produced quickly without expert handling are also available. - Contact. Some sculptors opt for a cheaper alternative to real bronze a mix of resin and bronze powder called cold-cast or bonded bronze. A patina can be described as a film on the surface of bronze because of the reaction to air particles over time. In fact, spelter is referred to as \"the poor man's bronze,\" because it was created for those who admired bronze and couldn't afford it.
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    Really great condition

    \r\nIn an ideal world, the antique you are contemplating buying would be in exactly the same condition as it was the day it was born. Please turn on JavaScript for the best possible experience. Is it made by the artist or company that is indicated? HOW TO IDENTIFY A QUALITY BRONZE SCULPTURE www. Her articles and essays have appeared in Redbook, Family Circle, Woman's Day, Reader's Digest, Family Life, and Ms.

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