Spelter Statues by Bradley and Hubbard

HOW A BRONZE/SPELTER STATUE IS MADE

First, the original sculpture is completed. This sculpture may be in clay, wood, stone or metal. Second, a 2 piece plaster mold is made of the original. Each plaster half is a shell for holding a rubber substance. By compressing the sculpture in rubber, allows it to take the shape of the figure. Most sculptures will require several molds, one for different scetions of the figure. Third, molten wax is poured into the mold and then poured out. This evenly coats the interior walls of the rubber mold. This is done until a 1/8 wax thicknss is achieved --- about 3 pouring in & out. The wax figure is taken out of the rubbery mold. A ceramic liquid fills the inside of the wax replica. The same type of plaster is applied to the outside. The shell is then baked in a kiln where it hardens and the wax of the hollow model melts and runs out. Molten bronze is then poured into the shell where the wax had existed. The Bronze Sculpture is revealed when the ceramic mold is sandblasted away. Any parts which were cast separately are welded back together The final operation would be to put a finish on the bronze called a Patina. The type of patina is commonly called a " Medici Finish" So, care should be taken when handling any sculpture not to scratch the finish.

WHAT IS BRONZE MADE OF:

Bronze is an alloy of Copper and Tin.
Tin is an element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. Copper is an element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. The Bronze Age ( -3300B.C. to -1200 B.C. ) was named after the metal alloy. Brasses (copper and zinc) were also included in this Bronze period. The Iron Age came after the Bronze Age.

B&H STATUES ARE MADE of
SPELTER -- With a BRONZE FINISH

Spelter metal is softer, cheaper and can be used to make a statue the same way bronze is used. Most statues made with Spelter are not as valueable as Bronze. Spelter is a white metal so if you scratch thru the patina (finish) on a Bradley & Hubbard statue, you'll see white. From its looks, you would think it was aluminum. " Since the Spelter metal statues have a Bronze finish, they are called Bronze statues, along with the staues made of Bronze metal. "