Tags
alloy, antique, art, Art Deco, Bronze, casting, Décor, frog, furniture, furniture history, gilt bronze, handcrafted decor, history, horse, interior design, lion, lost-wax, mbw furniture, ormolu, oxidized, sculpture
A popular resource for weapons and décor alike, bronze has been a favored alloy since before the time of the ancient Greeks (Bronze Age). They may not have been the first bronze smelters and sculptors, but ancient Greece made the switch from figurines to life-size sculptures. Since bronze is as valuable no matter the form, few examples of ancient sculptures exist today. In times of war, civilizations would melt down bronze statues to make weapons or raise funds. Conquerors would destroy their rivals’ bronze only to have it remade it their own image.
MBW Furniture features a wide selection of bronze and marble. We have bronze for any possible design space or need: home décor, office, kitchen, entryway, outdoor, dining, and living areas. Bronze items are available in different finishes as well: gilded (ormolu), marbled, deco, oxidized, and classic styles.
Bronze is a unique alloy in that it expands and retracts at moments critical to the sculpting process. Just before completely setting, bronze expands to imprint the mold’s most intricate details. Upon cooling, it shrinks just enough to be easily removed from the mold while maintaining original design elements. The alloy is extremely durable, especially compared to brittle ceramic and stone materials (marble sculpture) that require interior cross sections for support. For modern statues, bronze is 90% copper and 10% tin.
4ft-Lion Statues Ormolu-trimmed Vase Frog on Reed Rearing Horse Statue
Bronze Processes
Ormolu: an English term straight out of the 18th Century, ormolu means “gilt bronze.” Smelters apply finely-ground gold in a mercury amalgam to bronze items. Harmful mercury fumes ensured the early deaths of 18th-century gilders, as most did not live beyond 40.
Lost-wax Casting: the traditional sculptor’s approach, artists create a model then a mold from soft materials. Molten wax fills the mold until dry. Once removed, the mold is perfected and undergoes several processes before receiving and casting the bronze. Modern investment casting is the same process, but industrialized for accuracy and high-performance alloys.
Centrifugal Casting: a common technique among jewelry makers, this type of casting uses a small mold attached to the end of a spinning arm.
mbwfurniture 
Thanks for the info.
And thank you for reading our blog.