how to tell bronze from spelter

Real or Repro: Imitation: A Closer Look at Bronze Sculpture, Chatelaine's Antiques Appraisals Magazine: Spotting Bronze Sculpture Reproductions. However, pieces of spelter, dating from the early twentieth century to the present day are now much sought after. Lead is heavy but very soft, easily dented and scratched. Unpainted spelter can be waxed as per bronze above. It is also poisonous so always wash your hands after handling. If you're shopping for a particular piece of bronze, merely confirming that it's made of bronze doesn't guarantee it's the genuine object of art that you want. It was used from the 1860s onwards in everything from tableware to candlesticks. The careful positioning of outdoor sculpture in a sheltered position is the first step to practical conservation. A coppery color would indicate brass. I HAVE A M. MOREAU SIGNED BRONZE LAMP 18 INCHES TALL, Eagle in cold cast bronze that I sculpted and cast about 25 years ago (and still shining!). 1905-1906, spelter, Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Some fakes use spelter zinc with a bronze finish but it isn't as richly detailed or as shiny as real bronze. Color. Also, knowing the flaws of a piece can be a negotiating tool. 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. The porcelain is restorable, in the hands of an expert restorer, and the glass typically is not, with the exception of minor rim chips.\r\n

It is polite to stare when it comes to shopping for value in antiques. 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. Spelter is soft and breaks easily. Is bronze a precious metal? Demand for spelter increased during the mid-nineteenth century. How can you tell if a Remington statue is real? 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. A patina can not be easily scratched off as is almost always the case in bronze replicas. 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. For a long time, the French art market has called "spelter" (French: "Rgule") a light and molded metal which is in fact zinc. I'll see if I can located the tutorial. The first question sculpture owners often ask is: "Should I bother to fix this?" It should feel warmer, This website uses cookies to offer the best possible experience. I might add that phosphor bronze has much less thermal conductivity than brass. What is the difference between a spelter Art Deco sculpture and a bronze Art Deco sculpture? Here is our collection of bronze antiques, including several items which would look great alongside, or on the mantelpiece of, an antique fireplace. Finally, bronze is heavier than spelter. Still, I personally don't care much for the effect. Normally you solder spelter items that are broken but for a number of reasons the process can be quite difficult. 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. Please do not hesitate to let us know your comments. For furniture, mint implies no repairs or missing pieces and an original finish.\r\n\r\n