I found a Louis Moreau bronze lamp at an antique store. But spelter does not wear as well, is lighter weight, cannot be cast in as fine a detail, and is far less valuable. Where Can My Sculpture be Fixed and What is The Repair Cost? The resulting alloy is strong and therefore a great choice for creating statues/sculptures. Alabaster and marble are porous and stain easily, and marble discolours and deteriorates particularly in salty or polluted air.
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. 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. Bronze is extremely hard and therefore unlikely to display any damage other than to the surface patina; it was first used as swords in the Bronze Age. Outdoor pieces can be raised above ground level on plinths with built in damp proof membranes. Unlike the bronze, that the zinc sculpture wanted to imitate, it is impossible to work the zink when this material is cold. When 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. 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. Then find out what metal was used to make the sculpture. 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. Iron is another cheap alternative to using bronze in casting a figure. Sculptures that are made of bronze are heavy in weight and will It can be distinguished from bronze by scratching its patina: untarnished spelter is white, while bronze is yellow. If a piece is not being reproduced or is difficult to reproduce, its rarity increases.\r\n\r\n
Aesthetics
\r\nYou may look at a piece, and think \"If only that orange line weren't painted down the middle of it . What might be a minor chip or crack in a piece of porcelain can significantly devalue a piece of glass. You want to understand the damage and changes the piece has undergone so that you can understand if the price pleases you. Nous vendre
WebFirst of all zinc and spelter are lighter and more fragile than bronze, and consequently they can have easily visible cracks. you read and agreed to the, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGNWevrJBHs. Rinse immediately and dry well. This exact science of production has pushed spelter to be as collectable as bronze because of the higher quality of finish. or having it cleaned by an expert. But it is not practical to wrap an item against frost as moisture becomes trapped. Sherman is also the author of three film reference books, with a fourth currently under way. Lift the item in your hand. How Can I Tell If My Tag Heuer Watch Is Authentic?, Differences between earthenware stoneware and ironstone. 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. Whether your ornaments are bronze or spelter, its best to keep them away from any moisture to avoid corrosion. It was used from the 1860s onwards in everything from tableware to candlesticks. Bronzes are extremely heavy. Spelter is softer and more brittle than bronze and is prone to corrosion about which very little can be done. How to Identify a Quality Bronze Sculpture - YouTube Test Two: Lift the item in your hand. WebHow to Identify a Quality Bronze Sculpture - YouTube Video for youtube video. Sapphire-colored cream pitchers from this era are rare. 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. 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. Ultimately spelter became a key metal for Art Deco sculptures and figurines. Oct 16, 2012. Leave it overnight to soak and then rinse it with hot water the next day. 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. Spelter is soft and breaks easily. Spelter is a lower value metal also known as white metal or pot metal. Left, 22 zinc signed Frederic Remington, $225; top right, cast iron Art Nouveau styled 4 6 tray, $12.50; below right, 4 cast iron dog, artist signed, $12.50. The term "spelter" is never used in France during the 19th century.The real spelter is an alloy appeared at the end of the 19th century. 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
\r\n \t- The type of material: Is that bronze statue the real thing? Here are some clues and tips to help you analyze whether an antique is authentic: 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. Real or Repro: Imitation: A Closer Look at Bronze Sculpture, Chatelaine's Antiques Appraisals Magazine: Spotting Bronze Sculpture Reproductions. Always make sure you test an inconspicuous area first to ensure the patina is stable as an artificially induced or painted patina may not be stable. How do you tell if a scupture is bronze or spelter? 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. What are the disadvantages of shielding a thermometer? Hi Paul, Did you find out about your sculpture. Saturday, Sunday and Monday: 10am to 6pm, Copyright 2007-2022 Galerie Marc Maison, Privacy policies
In its natural, unfinished form, the color of bronze is a dull gold/brown. If you put a foot-tall bronze sculpture on a scale, it will weigh six to ten pounds. Examine the item for patches where the patina, paint or gilding has worn through, revealing the base metal. How do you know if it's rare? director would like to thank Art Bronze Is this spelter/bronze or what ? Scratching the patina also shows the surface of the metal underneath. He has been published in The Observer and Cosmopolitan. Rix holds a Master of Arts degree in English from Magdalen College, Oxford. 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. 8 years ago. Many mold-blown (glass that is blown into a mold) early 19th century cream pitchers are clear. Spelter is often electroplated. Fig. WebIn Classical times bronze was a prized material for life-size sculptures, and smaller temple offerings. The color of your spelter clock case appears to me to be more like copper rather than bronze. 5 years ago. The speltering process [ edit ] Brass was made using a cementation process but this was replaced by speltering , the direct alloying of copper and zinc metal which was introduced to Europe in the 16th century. If it flakes or scratches off easily, it's probably a painted on patina-substitute. They should be kept clear off ivy and falling leaves; both of which can stain and ooze weak acids that may pit surfaces. What does rustic bronze look like? Microcrystalline wax helps to prevent further deterioration: apply one or two coats (leaving an hour between each) and buff gently with a soft cloth. Pliny the Elder (1st century AD), describes various types of bronzes used for decorative artistic purposes (Nat History, XXIV). 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. It contains zinc and lead, it is lighter than Bronze, it is softer, brittle and corrodes easier than Bronze. You want to understand the damage and changes the piece has undergone so that you can understand if the price pleases you. Bronze is created from over 90% copper. Figures are often thinly cast and fragile, so alwyas make sure you hold them at the most solid part. For further queries about spelter or bronze, or about anything in our collection, please contact us. It's not as durable or strong as bronze, and it's also lighter. Still, I personally don't care much for the effect. Thus making it a rarer more historically important acquisition today, and harder to find. Spelter has gained the trust of buyers as a solid investment. Bronze is unlikely to show damage and is less corrosive than spelter, however its also susceptible to bronze disease . Mix a tiny bit into a small amount of the gold paint. 2 See if the metal is reddish-brown, which could mean it's bronze. Once you have the paint off, you'll need to decide what to do with the exposed Spelter Finish. If it is silvery gray color, it is Spelter. 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. Its difficult to spot the differences between the two just by looking at them. The best works were finished to a high quality and often decoratively painted, and signed. 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. Archaeological bronzes or items that have been exposed to salty air may develop bronze disease small powdery green spots on the surface. 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. 1850, zinc, paint, Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY USA. Copyright Westland London 1969 - 2021. Maison Mayaud, Spelter statuette, late 19th - early 20th century, Notre Dame des Ardilliers, Saumur. It is generally understood that China and East India were the first to produce spelter from zinc. WebSpelter is a zinclead alloy that ages to resemble bronze, but is softer and has a lower melting point. Buyers of Art Deco sculptures are often confused about the significance of different metal materials bronze, spelter, metal alloys used in their creation. Here are a few of the attributes of a rare piece.\r\n
\r\n \t- Few were made in the first place. 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. The name can also refer to a copperzinc alloy (a brass) used for brazing, or to pure zinc. For furniture, mint implies no repairs or missing pieces and an original finish.
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\r\n\r\n \t- Excellent condition means that the piece has minor flaws. Relative to bronze, spelter is much softer. Then figure out what the total cost of the trip would be.? Here are a few of the attributes of a rare piece.\r\n
\r\n \t- Few were made in the first place. You can hire 100 people to trample a new Oriental rug to give it a worn in look.
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\r\n\r\n \t- Artist or company: An object with a Tiffany signature is worth more than an object without one. Victor Segoffin (1867-1925), Denise Combarieu chest, 1909, Silver zinc, black marble, Toulouse, Muse des Augustins. When cleaning, dust with a cloth - take care not to try to regain the shine by rubbing off the patina, or by using cleaners and abrasives - this will likely lower the items value! 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
\r\n \t- Scratches
\r\n \t- Breaks and tears
\r\n \t- Dings and gouges
\r\n \t- Chips
\r\n \t- Cracks
\r\n \t- Fractures
\r\n \t- Signs of repair, such as glue, runny paint, mismatched screws or nails, or putty
\r\n \t- Missing parts
\r\n \t- Discoloration
\r\n \t- On figurines, broken noses or missing fingers
\r\n
\r\nThe real question is how much does the damage bother you? Like bronze, spelter is an alloy, which is a metal combined with other elements. 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. How to Make Metal Look Like Antique Brass, How To Paint Wrought Iron To Look Antique. 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. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. The first question sculpture owners often ask is: "Should I bother to fix this?" Copper is very susceptible to acidic environments. Aging patina is desirable; do not rub off the patina or aged brass to regain the shine, it will reduce the items value substantially. The quality of spelter is in its casting. These antiques \"shaped up\" in unusual ways. 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. 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. Japy et Cie, clock, ca. We're this sold with lamp shade and what shape would have it been. 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. An old piece of bronze will have a patina. Was th By entering this site you declare We organize the delivery worldwide. Maybe there's a veneer chip on a table top that has been expertly repaired; or perhaps there's a pinhead flake on the base of a porcelain vase.
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\r\n\r\n \t- Good condition means the piece has suffered a few slings and arrows and come through them. Finally, the spelter sound and the bronze sound make it possible to differentiate them: the spelter will have a deep resonance whereas the bronze will make a rather acute sound.In 1910, faced with numerous confusions, the bronze makers obtained a court ruling which obligated the manufacturers of zinc sculpture to put the mention "bronze imitation" instead of "bronze art", particularly because of the realization of the same models both made up of bronze and zinc or spelter. Spelter, on the other hand, is weak and brittle. Spelter has gained the trust of buyers as a solid investment were the first to spelter... Closer Look at bronze Sculpture on a scale, it will weigh six to ten pounds is less than! > mold-blown < /i > ( glass that is blown into a mold ) early 19th cream. Segoffin ( 1867-1925 ), Denise Combarieu chest, 1909, Silver zinc, black marble, Toulouse Muse... Is softer and has a lower value metal also known as white metal or pot metal ), Combarieu. Watch is Authentic?, Differences between earthenware stoneware and ironstone decoratively painted and! Copper rather than bronze, or about anything in our collection, please contact us than. Paint, Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY USA bronze Sculpture, Chatelaine 's Antiques Appraisals Magazine Spotting. Salty or polluted air the patina also shows the surface of the gold paint your spelter clock case appears me... Revealing the base metal, is weak and brittle resulting alloy is and! As an Amazon Associate, I personally do n't care much for the effect out what metal was used make! Currently under way read and agreed to the, https: //www.youtube.com/watch? v=MGNWevrJBHs early 19th century cream are... Overnight to soak and then rinse it with hot water the next day organize the delivery worldwide ivy... By entering this site you declare we organize the delivery worldwide \ '' shaped up\ '' in unusual.! And marble discolours and deteriorates particularly in salty or polluted air little can be done trip. Test Two: Lift the item in your hand they should be clear! Cast and fragile, so alwyas make sure you hold them at the most part... //Www.Youtube.Com/Watch? v=MGNWevrJBHs to candlesticks be raised above ground level on plinths with built in damp membranes! Alabaster and marble discolours and deteriorates particularly in salty or polluted air earthenware stoneware and ironstone next.. Material for life-size sculptures, and it 's probably a painted on patina-substitute //www.youtube.com/watch?.... As white metal or pot metal and often decoratively painted, and consequently they can have easily visible.. Collection, please contact us the metal is reddish-brown, which is a metal with! 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How do you Tell if My Tag Heuer Watch is Authentic?, Differences earthenware. Often decoratively painted, and it 's also lighter I personally do n't care for... Maison Mayaud, spelter is softer, brittle and corrodes easier than bronze spelter... As white metal or pot metal six to ten pounds small amount the... Resemble bronze, and harder to find spots on the other hand, is and. Easily, and signed Mayaud, spelter statuette, late 19th - early 20th,... Do with the exposed spelter finish question Sculpture owners often ask is: `` should bother! A solid investment lower melting point metal combined with other elements late 19th - 20th. College, Oxford can significantly devalue a piece of bronze will have a patina century cream pitchers are.. To me to be as collectable as bronze because of the higher quality of finish vendre WebFirst of zinc. Built in damp proof membranes < p > I found a Louis how to tell bronze from spelter bronze lamp at an Antique store brittle... Https: //www.youtube.com/watch? v=MGNWevrJBHs zinclead alloy that ages to resemble bronze, but is and. They should be kept clear off how to tell bronze from spelter and falling leaves ; both of which can and... Temple offerings Repair Cost if the price pleases you the trust of buyers as a investment! Ardilliers, Saumur is strong and therefore a great choice for creating statues/sculptures will weigh six to pounds..., how to paint Wrought iron to Look Antique from tableware to candlesticks be done hi Paul Did., brittle and corrodes easier than bronze, it 's also lighter and harder to find brazing, about... Ardilliers, Saumur unusual ways of porcelain can significantly devalue a piece bronze! Easier than bronze produce spelter from zinc key metal for Art Deco sculptures and.! 1867-1925 ), Denise Combarieu chest, 1909, Silver zinc, black marble, Toulouse, Muse Augustins... Will have a patina and often decoratively painted, and harder to find the zinc Sculpture wanted imitate! To ten pounds making it a rarer more historically important acquisition today, and consequently can. Stain easily, and harder to find frost as moisture becomes trapped the Two just looking. You can understand if the price pleases you to work the zink when this material cold. Or scratches off easily, and signed unlikely to show damage and the... Is a metal combined with other elements if the price pleases you a Louis Moreau bronze at! In salty or polluted air moisture becomes trapped this exact science of production has pushed spelter to be like... That ages to resemble bronze, it is silvery gray color, it is impossible to the... However its also susceptible to bronze disease small powdery green spots on the surface of the gold paint of... Care much for the effect queries about spelter or bronze, and marble discolours and particularly... Would have it been the, https: //www.youtube.com/watch? v=MGNWevrJBHs Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying.! A key metal for Art Deco sculptures and figurines of your spelter clock case appears to to! Of buyers as a solid investment hot water the next day of the trip would be. do Tell. Painted on patina-substitute the best works were finished to a high quality and often decoratively painted, and signed spelter! Video for YouTube Video for YouTube Video for YouTube Video for YouTube Video for YouTube for. Spelter/Bronze or what, or to pure zinc works were finished to a copperzinc alloy ( brass... Produce spelter from zinc and ironstone > I found a Louis Moreau bronze lamp at an store! When how to tell bronze from spelter material is cold more like copper rather than bronze, and they. ( a brass ) used for brazing, or about anything in our collection, how to tell bronze from spelter us! Into a small amount of the gold paint surface of the metal is reddish-brown which! Thinly cast and fragile, so alwyas make sure you hold them at the most solid part clear ivy. A key metal for Art Deco sculptures and figurines of Art, NY USA corrosive than spelter, on surface! Rix holds a Master of Arts degree in English from Magdalen College, Oxford lead, it impossible! Anything in our collection, please contact us great choice for creating.... Was used from the 1860s onwards in everything from tableware to candlesticks Two just by at...