how to tell bronze from spelter

Brass has a lighter finish with a bright sheen, comparable to the look of gold. Her articles and essays have appeared in Redbook, Family Circle, Woman's Day, Reader's Digest, Family Life, and Ms.

","authors":[{"authorId":10799,"name":"Deborah Shouse","slug":"deborah-shouse","description":" Ron Zoglin has been in the antique business for more than 25 years and owns Brookside Antiques in Kansas City, MO. or having it cleaned by an expert. 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.[2]. If the object has any cracks visible, its likely to be spelter rather than bronze. - Contact. 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. grey color. 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. Microcrystalline wax helps to prevent further deterioration: apply one or two coats (leaving an hour between each) and buff gently with a soft cloth. Web19K views 5 years ago Watch Dr. Lori reveal how to tell if your sculpture is made of more valuable bronze or cheaper spelter. - Sales conditions With high value sculpture, one might consider museum-quality repairs (reversible repair) as compared to welding. On genuine bronzes, wear will reveal a brassy yellow colour. 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? Bronze has a much darker finish and does not have much of a sheen. It was sold under the name of spiauter, and spialter, later changed in Europe to speltrum and known today as spelter. However, pieces of spelter, dating from the early twentieth century to the present day are now much sought after. Finally, bronze is heavier than spelter. Also, knowing the flaws of a piece can be a negotiating tool. Figures are often thinly cast and fragile, so alwyas make sure you hold them at the most solid part. Demand for spelter increased during the mid-nineteenth century. Edit: See post #4 from this thread: Adamantine Finish Care and Protection The information about finishing spelter is about half-way down. Bronze is extremely hard and therefore unlikely to display any damage at all other than to the surface patina. The name can also refer to a copperzinc alloy (a brass) used for brazing, or to pure zinc. So without seeing a clear difference, its not easy to tell if an ornament is made out of spelter or bronze. Although some may be surprised upon learning that their decorations are spelter instead of bronze, high-quality spelter ornaments can also be very valuable. To find out what is your sculpture made of, see tests below. Spelter is often electroplated. In the decorative arts world it made it an ideal material for small-scale works of sculpture. The sculptures value is determined by the artist, who made the piece, was it cast posthumously and who owned it. Also, watch for patches of corrosion, because bronze doesn't rust. Alabaster and marble are porous and stain easily, and marble discolours and deteriorates particularly in salty or polluted air. Specialists in antique fireplaces & architectural antiques since 1969. Visiting art galleries and museums is one great way to see antique objects of art that are considered aesthetically pleasing. Is this spelter/bronze or what ? Visiting art galleries and museums is one great way to see antique objects of art that are considered aesthetically pleasing. Thanks for your service and advise! If it's signed, is the signature real? 2 Many bronzes are cast using the lost-wax method, in existence since ancient times. Web117 3K views 7 months ago Bronze or Spelter - Ill show you how you can tell the difference by showing you two antique sculptures. Books on your areas of interest also will show the better pieces.\r\n

Desirability

\r\nDesirability is defined by what's in vogue in the current market. It can be distinguished from bronze by scratching its patina: untarnished spelter is white, while bronze is yellow. Leave it overnight to soak and then rinse it with hot water the next day. The piece is then rubbed back to highlight features and polished with wax. For a long time, the French art market has called "spelter" (French: "Rgule") a light and molded metal which is in fact zinc. Some scam artists will duplicate a classic bronze, then sell it as the original. reply #5. 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. And what is today's value ? Bronze is unlikely to show damage and is less corrosive than spelter, however its also susceptible to bronze disease . 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!). 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? 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

Time period: A piece of furniture can look old and still be born yesterday. Anytime a piece sustains damage, its value decreases. 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. 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. 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. Most metal sculptures that come to us are made of Bronze or Spelter. The metal is then usually treated with a surface "patination" that can range from green to black, but it can also be painted, or dusted with gold varnish to create "ormolu," or gilded bronze. 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? The same figure made of bronze resin only weighs a couple of pounds. WebFedorowicz said spelter is made up of copper, zinc and lead instead of the better bronze. Here are a few of the attributes of a rare piece. But spelter does not wear as well, is lighter weight, cannot be cast in as fine a detail, and is far less valuable. Collectors' Guide #2Text Jean-Noel Cabanettes and Rosalind Ormiston for 1930fr. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Relative to bronze, spelter is much softer. Is it from the time period the seller says it's from? 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. Look carefully at each item you're considering buying, inside and out, upside down, and right side up. Rinse immediately and dry well. If you strike a hollow place on the sculpture with a wooden dowel, resin gives a dull thud instead of a ring. The quality of spelter is in its casting. Can any one tell me the best place to get my clay sculpt baby doll produced Are the signed Hip Moreau Bronze Statues worth anything . 10am-8pm, 73, rue des Rosiers (entrance through the porch or via Marie Curie Street). Zinc and lead, while bronze is made of copper and tin. (eds), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spelter&oldid=1121088332, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 10 November 2022, at 12:38. Attempts to remove stains from any porous stone may force the stain deeper or erode the surface. 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. Mix a tiny bit into a small amount of the gold paint. Spelter sculptures are fairly light and have a It is an exact discipline, which needs expert handling to create a perfect bronze. 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. #3. In ancient times bronze was a term that could denote copper or the far more durable alloy fusion of copper and tin. Color. 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. 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. It's not as durable or strong as bronze, and it's also lighter. .\" or, \"If only that carving weren't slightly off-center. Her articles and essays have appeared in Redbook, Family Circle, Woman's Day, Reader's Digest, Family Life, and Ms.

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