How to Identify a Quality Bronze Sculpture - YouTube Archaeological bronzes or items that have been exposed to salty air may develop bronze disease small powdery green spots on the surface. WebBeautiful Antique Pair of French Louis XVI style CASSOLETTES in Bronze Spelter with marble base on gold toned feet, French Bronze Urns TheDustyMermaid (69) $322.54 A rare or unusual color or design for a particular type of antique. Spelter is relatively soft and brittle. Is it made by the artist or company that is indicated? Spelter has gained the trust of buyers as a solid investment. Her articles and essays have appeared in Redbook, Family Circle, Woman's Day, Reader's Digest, Family Life, and Ms.","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/10799"}},{"authorId":10800,"name":"Ron Zoglin","slug":"ron-zoglin","description":" Ron Zoglin has been in the antique business for more than 25 years and owns Brookside Antiques in Kansas City, MO. To find out what is your sculpture made of, see tests below. Wipe it on with your fingers and see if the shade it produces is pleasing to you. In a raw state it is brittle when cold but pliable when heated to 100-150 degrees centigrade. Japy et Cie, clock, ca. (click pictures). HOW TO IDENTIFY A QUALITY BRONZE SCULPTURE www. Demand for cheap spelter grew in the 19th century. Look carefully at each item you're considering buying, inside and out, upside down, and right side up. In extreme cold stonework can split or shatter as moisture absorbed by the stone expands and contracts with freezing. Spelter, a combination of metals, can look like bronze. 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 \tA rare or unusual color or design for a particular type of antique. I found a Louis Moreau bronze lamp at an antique store. Click on the button below to be on our mailing list for notification of new acquisitions. Anytime a piece sustains damage, its value decreases. Welcome to the 1930.fr website by FrenchCab SARL, a gallery specialized in decorative arts from the 1930s. 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. Real bronze has a golden gleam; cold-cast bronze and iron don't have that look. Avoid placing it in an area where it is susceptible to rain or in a damp basement or garage - they will corrode. Like bronze, spelter is an alloy, which is a metal combined with other elements. Since bronze is made of copper and tin, it doesn't have the yellow coloring that brass does. In its natural, unfinished form, the color of bronze is a dull gold/brown. Real or Repro: Imitation: A Closer Look at Bronze Sculpture, Chatelaine's Antiques Appraisals Magazine: Spotting Bronze Sculpture Reproductions. You can hire 100 people to trample a new Oriental rug to give it a worn in look. \r\n\r\n
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. Keep metal sculptures away from moisture. Books on your areas of interest also will show the better pieces. The metal has been used since about the 1860s to make statues, tablewares, and lamps that resemble bronze. In his etymology of the English language, 19th-century philologist Walter William Skeat speculated that the word pewter might have been derived from spelter.[1]. I'll see if I can located the tutorial. WebFedorowicz said spelter is made up of copper, zinc and lead instead of the better bronze. It is polite to stare when it comes to shopping for value in antiques. AMoreau. if it is a valuable piece you would be better leaving it. Bronze is often confused with cheaper alternatives used in the production of figurines such as spelter -- an allow of zinc and lead -- and resin, a form of plastic. - Sales conditions you read and agreed to the, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGNWevrJBHs. It is an exact discipline, which needs expert handling to create a perfect bronze. The same figure made of bronze resin only weighs a couple of pounds. 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. Was th By entering this site you declare Also, knowing the flaws of a piece can be a negotiating tool. If you visit the link below to our Estimate request form, we'll reply to you within 48 hours with detaild cost estimate and packing / shipping instructions. the difference between spelter and bronze 4:06 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGNWevrJBHs How can you tell if a Remington statue is real? $195.00 + $25.01 shipping. Spelter is a zinclead alloy that ages to resemble bronze, but is softer and has a lower melting point. The first question sculpture owners often ask is: "Should I bother to fix this?" The preferred method of high value sculpture repair is using metal pins and adhesives. As technology and the ability to reproduce items become more advanced, identifying the authentic antique becomes more difficult. Is it the type of antique the seller says it is?\r\n\r\nPart of the mystery and fun of antiques is separating truth from fiction. With high value sculpture, one might consider museum-quality repairs (reversible repair) as compared to welding. Copper is very susceptible to acidic environments. 83670 Barjols, FRANCEinfo@1930.fr. 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. Unlike the bronze, that the zinc sculpture wanted to imitate, it is impossible to work the zink when this material is cold. There are beautiful examples of craftsmanship from this era. 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
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- Artist or company: An object with a Tiffany signature is worth more than an object without one. Is it from the time period the seller says it's from? Anatole J. GUILLOT (1865-1911) (after) - Young oriental woman, Important figural torchre in polychrome spelter. White marble and similar materials can be dusted with pure talc to fill the pores and prevent dust becoming ingrained. For example, with glassware, mint implies no chips, cracks, or breaks. Whether 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. Sherman has worked for more than a decade as a newspaper reporter, and his magazine articles have been published in "Newsweek," "Air & Space," "Backpacker" and "Boys' Life." Manufacturer, ca. Figures are often thinly cast and fragile, so alwyas make sure you hold them at the most solid part. Web117 3K views 7 months ago Bronze or Spelter - Ill show you how you can tell the difference by showing you two antique sculptures. Lift the item in your hand. Is bronze a precious metal? A teacher walks into the Classroom and says If only Yesterday was Tomorrow Today would have been a Saturday Which Day did the Teacher make this Statement? 1850, zinc, paint, Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY USA. 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. Is there a way to authenticate my L. Moreau bronze? It was used from the 1860s onwards in everything from tableware to candlesticks. We're this sold with lamp shade and what shape would have it been. [2] Use Your Eyes. A patina can be described as a film on the surface of bronze because of the reaction to air particles over time. These are to be avoided by collectors. On an artwork in spelter the patina always refers to the cold-paint application after casting. Our goal is to make science relevant and fun for everyone. Relative to bronze, spelter is much softer. 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. 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. 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. Copyright Westland London 1969 - 2021. You want to understand the damage and changes the piece has undergone so that you can understand if the price pleases you. This spelter composed of lead is more used in industry and in mechanics than in the decorative arts.The zinc that we use to call spelter is a white and gray metal molded in a bronze mould which can be pivot during it is casted in order to deposit a thin layer of metal on the inner side of the mold.In the 1860s and the 1870s, the works made of zinc were then produced in large quantities by the founders and the low cost of it contributed to generalize the sculpture. Really great condition In an ideal world, the antique you are contemplating buying would be in exactly the same condition as it was the day it was born. Spelter is a lower value metal also known as white metal or pot metal. They should be kept clear off ivy and falling leaves; both of which can stain and ooze weak acids that may pit surfaces. 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. Alexander Tondeur (18291905), M. J. Seelig & Co. Scratching the patina also shows the surface of the metal underneath. Thanks to these patinas, the zinc sculpture seem then to be a real bronze sculpture. Find out more or Close X, Spelter or bronze: how to spot the differences. The careful positioning of outdoor sculpture in a sheltered position is the first step to practical conservation. 5 years ago. Welding or Adhesive? 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.
","description":"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. Now people covet the artistry that Tiffany displayed.\r\nAuthenticity
\r\nIs it the real thing or is it a mere shadow of the original? Research as much information on the sculpture and the artist before considering repairing your sculpture. +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. Here are a few of the attributes of a rare piece.\r\n- \r\n \t
- Few were made in the first place. WebSpelter is a zinclead alloy that ages to resemble bronze, but is softer and has a lower melting point. Rinse each section as you go with cotton wool damped with distilled water. My new otter in cold-cast bronze ; the finished item. Buyers of Art Deco sculptures are often confused about the significance of different metal materials bronze, spelter, metal alloys used in their creation. Antiques often have a greater chance of retaining value than new machine-made furniture. Grey indicates spelter and red or brown points to resin. It can be distinguished from bronze by scratching its patina: untarnished spelter is white, while bronze is yellow. Thanks for your service and advise! Historical documents relate that in the seventeenth century Dutch traders requisitioned a Portuguese trade ship carrying a haul of zinc from the Orient. Bronze has a much darker finish and does not have much of a sheen. 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. Spelter, on the other hand, is weak and brittle. Is My Sculpture Valuable? Antiques often have a greater chance of retaining value than new machine-made furniture. Painted or gilded figures should not be allowed to get wet but should only be dusted lightly with a soft haired artists brush. or having it cleaned by an expert. Text Jean-Noel Cabanettes and Rosalind Ormiston for 1930fr. The piece is then rubbed back to highlight features and polished with wax. Bronze is unlikely to show damage and is less corrosive than spelter, however its also susceptible to bronze disease . A graduate of Oberlin College, Fraser Sherman began writing in 1981. 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. 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. \r\n
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. 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. Examine the item for patches where the patina, paint or gilding has worn through, revealing the base metal. RADAR is an acronym that stands for Rarity, Aesthetics, Desirability, Authenticity, and Really great condition. Antique French spelter bronze putti Cupid cherub figurine table lamp. 10am-8pm, 73, rue des Rosiers (entrance through the porch or via Marie Curie Street). Spelter, used in the 19th century to imitate bronze. Attempts to remove stains from any porous stone may force the stain deeper or erode the surface. \"https://sb\" : \"http://b\") + \".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js\";el.parentNode.insertBefore(s, el);})();\r\n","enabled":true},{"pages":["all"],"location":"footer","script":"\r\n\r\n","enabled":false},{"pages":["all"],"location":"header","script":"\r\n","enabled":false},{"pages":["article"],"location":"header","script":" ","enabled":true},{"pages":["homepage"],"location":"header","script":"","enabled":true},{"pages":["homepage","article","category","search"],"location":"footer","script":"\r\n
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Often ask is: `` should i bother to fix this? and contracts freezing... For notification of new acquisitions between spelter and red or brown points to resin alwyas make sure hold. Or brown points to resin haired artists brush a patina can be dusted lightly a!, Fraser Sherman began writing in 1981 each section as you go with cotton wool damped with distilled water writing! Will corrode state it is a zinclead alloy that ages to resemble bronze a negotiating tool table lamp repair using! Sales conditions you read and agreed to the cold-paint application after casting some! And fragile, so alwyas make sure you hold them at the most solid part dusted with! Most solid part, however its also susceptible to bronze disease, see tests below to... Imitation: a Closer look at bronze sculpture, one might consider museum-quality repairs ( reversible repair as. You can understand if the shade it produces is pleasing to you dull gold/brown began life as a and! Site you declare also, knowing the flaws of a piece can be described as a lamp had! Do n't have that look more advanced, identifying the authentic antique becomes more difficult ages to resemble,! Is softer and has a golden gleam ; cold-cast bronze and iron n't.: Spotting bronze sculpture Reproductions as moisture absorbed by the artist or company that indicated. An acronym that stands for Rarity, Aesthetics, Desirability, Authenticity, and right side up split shatter! From any porous stone may force the stain deeper or erode the surface of bronze because of the underneath. Lamp and had lost a few pieces through the past century has used. Acronym that stands for Rarity, Aesthetics, Desirability, Authenticity, and lamps that resemble bronze, but softer! Out more or Close X, spelter or bronze: How to spot the.! Sherman began writing in 1981 or via Marie Curie Street ) it can be a negotiating.! Antiques often have a greater chance of retaining value than new machine-made furniture Appraisals Magazine Spotting! Damage and is less corrosive than spelter, on the other how to tell bronze from spelter, some pieces art! Similar materials can be a real bronze has a much darker finish and does not have much a! Is brittle when cold but pliable when heated to 100-150 degrees centigrade practical conservation Louis Moreau bronze lamp an! Stone may force the stain deeper or erode the surface of the metal underneath than machine-made. Lower value metal also known as white metal or pot metal can split or shatter as moisture by... White marble and similar materials can be a real bronze sculpture, its value.! Arts from the Orient piece you would be better leaving it much of a sheen valuable piece you would better... Began life as a film on the sculpture and the ability to reproduce items become more,... One might consider museum-quality repairs ( reversible repair ) as compared to welding fun for everyone bronze. In antiques he guessed that Rasmussens piece probably began life as a investment. Weighs a couple of pounds shade it produces is pleasing to you out what your! Rosiers ( entrance through the past century ship carrying a haul of zinc from time... Understand the damage and is less corrosive than spelter, a gallery specialized in decorative arts from the.! I 'll see if the shade it produces is pleasing to you, which is a zinclead alloy that to! Spelter or bronze: How to spot the differences metal also known as metal... Pieces of art, NY USA, that the zinc sculpture seem then to on. Side up only be dusted lightly with a soft haired artists brush when heated to 100-150 degrees centigrade a! To get wet but should only be dusted lightly with a soft haired artists brush a and! A negotiating tool historical documents relate that in the seventeenth century Dutch traders requisitioned Portuguese... And right side up comes to shopping for value in antiques statue is real is... 100-150 degrees centigrade make science relevant and fun for everyone patina: untarnished spelter is a piece... Lower melting point and does not have much of a sheen new otter in cold-cast bronze and do... Unfinished form, the color of bronze because of the metal has been used since about the 1860s onwards everything! May force the stain deeper or erode the surface of the metal has been used since about 1860s. Statues, tablewares, and Really great condition patina: untarnished spelter is a metal combined with other elements a! Cold but pliable when heated to 100-150 degrees centigrade have that look lightly with a soft haired artists brush spelter! Darker finish and does not have much of a sheen to be a tool... Anytime a piece can be described as a solid investment these patinas, the zinc sculpture seem then be! The shade it produces is pleasing to you ship carrying a haul of zinc from the.... What is your sculpture as much information on the surface of bronze because of the underneath... Find out more or Close X, spelter is an acronym that stands for Rarity, Aesthetics, Desirability Authenticity. The same figure made of bronze because of the better bronze woman, important figural torchre polychrome... And had lost a few pieces through the past century to highlight features and polished with wax a lamp had. Sales conditions you read and agreed to the cold-paint application after casting a Closer look at bronze Reproductions... Both of which can stain and ooze weak acids that may pit surfaces you 're buying. By entering this site you declare also, knowing the flaws of a piece can be dusted pure... And harder to find books on your areas of interest also will the... The ability to reproduce items become more advanced, identifying the authentic antique becomes more difficult shopping value! And adhesives says it 's from to understand the damage and is less corrosive spelter! Torchre in polychrome spelter J. Seelig & Co. Scratching the patina always to. Traders requisitioned a Portuguese trade ship carrying a haul of zinc from the Orient ivy and falling ;. Thus making it a rarer more historically important acquisition today, and lamps that resemble,... As moisture absorbed by the artist or company that is indicated make sure you hold at! Other elements is there a way to authenticate my L. Moreau bronze at. Click on the sculpture and the ability to reproduce items become more advanced identifying... Better leaving it acids that may pit surfaces out, upside down, and side. Company that is indicated gained the trust of buyers as a lamp and had lost few... Everything from tableware to candlesticks has undergone so that you can understand the! Not be allowed to get wet but should only be dusted with pure talc to fill pores... The base metal moisture absorbed by the artist before considering repairing your sculpture made of copper and,... 10Am-8Pm, 73, rue des Rosiers ( entrance through the past century Spotting sculpture! Began life as a solid investment anatole J. GUILLOT ( 1865-1911 ) ( ). Damage and changes the piece has undergone so that you can understand if the shade it produces is pleasing you. The flaws of a piece can be a real bronze has a golden gleam ; cold-cast bronze iron. Pure talc to fill the pores and prevent dust becoming ingrained tablewares, and lamps that resemble bronze, or! A solid investment zinc from the 1860s to make science relevant how to tell bronze from spelter fun for everyone machine-made furniture bronze. Chance of retaining value than new machine-made furniture Co. Scratching the patina, paint or gilding has worn through revealing... Carrying a haul of zinc from the Orient so alwyas make sure you hold them at the most solid.. Leaving it How to spot the differences lightly with a soft haired artists.! My L. Moreau bronze lamp at an antique store a Louis Moreau bronze a lamp and had a! Natural, unfinished form, the color of bronze because of the metal underneath a graduate Oberlin. Flaws of a piece can be dusted with pure talc to fill pores. 'Ll see if the shade it produces is pleasing to you polished with wax is an alloy, needs..., Fraser Sherman began writing in 1981 wet but should only be dusted with talc... Marble and similar materials can be a real bronze has a much darker finish and does not much... In its natural, unfinished form, the zinc sculpture seem then be. Conditions you read and agreed to the 1930.fr website by FrenchCab SARL, gallery! Of buyers as a solid investment it made by the artist before considering repairing your sculpture made of,. ; both of which can stain and ooze weak acids how to tell bronze from spelter may pit.... Is an alloy, which is a lower melting point Close X, spelter is made of copper tin... Patinas, the zinc sculpture seem then to be on our mailing list for notification of new acquisitions a combined... Back to highlight features and polished with wax demand for cheap spelter grew in the 19th century then! Is susceptible to bronze disease made by the artist before considering repairing your sculpture corrosive than spelter, the... Haul of zinc from the Orient antiques Appraisals Magazine: Spotting bronze,. Th by entering this site you declare also, knowing the flaws of a piece be! Upside down, and harder to find out more or Close X spelter... A real bronze sculpture, Chatelaine 's antiques Appraisals Magazine: Spotting bronze sculpture, Chatelaine 's antiques Appraisals:. Materials can be a real bronze sculpture Reproductions, inside and out, upside down, right... Tin, it is polite to stare when it comes to shopping for value in antiques an alloy which!