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Bronze Statue Care Instructions
Congratulations on the
purchase of your new, one-of-a-kind bronze sculpture,
an artistic investment that will bring you generations
of pleasure and enjoyment! Made principally
from copper and other non-ferrous metals, each
piece of bronze sculpture is made entirely by
hand by artisans skilled in the "Lost Wax"
casting method, unsurpassed for rendering life-like
detail to metal sculpture. Unchanged since Roman
times, Lost Wax casting takes several steps
over a four to six week period to complete.
The result is a richly-finished, vibrant and
life-like piece of bronze sculpture. To ensure
maximum enjoyment of your investment, please
take a few moments to read this important information:.
Appearance
of the Finished Piece
Lost Wax sculpture is made by hand to ensure
a rich, unique and artistic quality to the finished
piece. Imperfections in casting and finishing
are a normal by-product of the casting process.
No two pieces are alike. Hand made sculpture
will not have a perfect, machine made appearance
- quite the opposite! The unique, hand made
quality of the piece is what gives it an enduring,
aged character. Cavities in open pieces (e.g.,
urns, fountain bowls, etc.) are typically rough
in appearance; similarly, the blending of patinas
in the finishing process is often varied and
imperfect to give the piece an artistically
rendered, "one-of-a-kind" quality.
These qualities are what have given Lost Wax
bronze sculpture its timeless appeal though
the ages.
Casting
Residue
During the final stage of the casting process,
borax power is used to facilitate the separation
of molds from metal sculpture. Small traces
of borax residue often remain in the finished
sculpture. The residue appears as a white, powdery
substance, usually noticeable in crevices and
other difficult to reach areas. Mild soap (e.g.
Ivory dish soap), warm water and gentle scrubbing
with a soft, nylon brush (e.g., an old toothbrush)
will remove the powder. Often, two or three
cleanings will be required to completely remove
this residue.
Cleaning
and Caring for your Sculptures
Bronze sculpture will weather and age over time,
giving it a rich, venerated appearance. Many
people prefer the aged, antique look of weathered
sculpture; particularly in areas where adverse
weather conditions prevail ("why try to
fight Mother Nature"?). Others prefer an
"as new" appearance. If you are among
the former, you need only to leave your sculpture
outside and let nature take its course. For
the rest, here is information you need:
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Factors
That Cause Bronze Sculpture Weathering
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Sunlight
(UV rays)
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Causes
sculpture to darken over time
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Water
(particularly regions with high mineral
content water sources; e.g., Western U.S.)
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Interacts
with metal to cause "greening"
of copper
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Dust,
dirt
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Reduces
the luster and sheen of sculpture's finish
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Since bronze is an active,
primarily copper-based alloy, no process will
eliminate the gradual aging effect wrought by
exposure to the elements. There are, however,
steps you can take to impede the naturally occurring
weathering and aging process, giving your sculpture
long lasting protection, greatly diminishing the
aging process.
Cleaning:
The "cardinal rule" in caring for
your sculpture is: NEVER USE CLEANING SOLVENTS
to clean your sculpture. Glass cleaners, furniture
polish and other solvent-based products will
remove the patina from the sculpture. Use only
warm water, mild soap detergent (e.g., Ivory
dish soap, etc.) and a soft, nylon bristle brush
or sponge to clean your sculpture.
Sealing
(weather coating):
For a modest additional charge, your sculpture
can be coated with sealers and UV inhibitors
prior to shipment to you. This is a long-lasting
coating process (up to 10 years) designed to
maintain a protective barrier between the sculpture's
metal surface and the natural elements. Although
weather coating will seal and protect your sculpture
from the elements, it will not prevent water
spotting, which is particularly prevalent in
hard water regions.
Waxing:
Waxing your sculpture once or twice annually
(or more in severe weather zones) with 100%
Carnauba wax that contains NO CLEANERS will
provide effective protection from rain and UV
radiation, as well as minimize water spotting.
These products can be found at Lowes, Home Depot
and grocery stores (e.g. Johnson's Trewax, Kiwi
clear shoe polish, etc.). Always read the label
to be sure the product you buy does not contain
cleaners - only pure wax!
Sealing
and waxing:
Combining weather coating with regular waxing
will provide the best possible protection to
your sculpture. Adding regular coats of wax
on top of the sealer will provide maximum protection,
and also minimize water spotting, keeping your
sculpture as close to "as new" condition
for as long as possible.
Mounting
and Securing your Sculpture:
We strongly recommended that sculpture used
for any of the following purposes be safely
and permanently secured to prevent theft or
accidental tipping over, which could cause serious
injury or possibly result in death:
- Sculpture intended
to be placed in public areas.
- Sculpture not inherently
stable (i.e., does not have a very low center
of gravity); particularly large, heavy, and
upright pieces, which include many wildlife
and animal designs; e.g., horses, giraffes,
etc.
- Sculpture designs that
are inherently an "attractive nuisance"
to children wishing to jump on or attempt
to play on them; e.g., horses, animals, fountains,
etc.
Bolt
Down
Although many sculpture designs are mounted
on a base to provide stability, the base is
not designed to prevent accidental tip over.
We recommend bolting the piece to a secure base:
e.g., a concrete patch, pad or prefabricated
metal or wooden base that can secure the base
of the sculpture. The recommended method is
to drill holes big enough to fit 3/8" or
larger bolts, or bolting mounting brackets on
the base, which can then be secured. A high-torque
drill, which is a commonly found at any hardware
store, is the preferred type of drill for this
purpose. Color-matched patina can be used to
match the bolts to the color of the base.
Setting
Directly Into Cement
A secondary method is to set the base of the
piece directly into a curing cement base, and
allowing the cement to dry, permanently securing
the piece. Although this will obtain the desired
result, it will be difficult to move the piece
once this process is used.
Welding
If other securing options prove untenable, brackets
can be welded directly to the base. Use this
method only if other options will not produce
the desired result. This is because the process
of welding results in re-heating the metal sculpture,
which will peel off the finish up to a foot
around the weld area, requiring patina to be
color-matched and re-applied to the welded area.
If you have any other
questions about your new sculpture, please feel
free to contact
us at any time.
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