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Valuation is the monetary worth of the sculpture.

Numerous factors can affect valuation. Included among these are the reputation of the artist, the scarcity of the object, the reputation of the seller, the reputation of the foundry, the veracity of the sculpture’s provenance, and the opinion of a certified appraiser.

Works that fetch the highest prices are usually those from antiquity, or those sculpted by respected “name” artists whose techniques in sculpting are readily recognizable. The later usually keep the value high by keeping the availability low – they cast their works in small editions, from a half dozen to a dozen copies are all that are cast.

The seller’s reputation is also of great importance. Reputable art galleries are very familiar with the works of the artists they represent, and are careful to know the provenance of the works they sell. Online sales by a seller the buyer does not know can be more problematic. The buyer does not want to purchase a “bronze” sculpture that has been cast in a base metal that is mostly lead, and has been painted to look like a bronze. Nor does the buyer want to be sold a sculpture that is purported to be say number 5 in an edition of 12, when in actuality there are hundreds of copies of the same thing. Caveat emptor.

The reputation of the foundry that casts a sculpture is also important. Just as in any other endeavor, there are foundries that engage in irreputable, sometimes illegal practices. Artists’ copyrights are ignored, unauthorized pieces in an edition are cast, unauthorized copies of works are made, artists’ signatures are forged, and deceptive advertising is used. Reputable art foundries produce their works by a code of ethics that disallows such practices.

Many disreputable practices can be overcome with a strong record of provenance of a bronze sculpture. Records are kept from the production of the sculpture at the foundry through all of the previous owners to the current owner.

Securing the opinion of a certified appraiser is probably the safest way to obtain a valuation of an expensive bronze sculpture. The appraiser will take into consideration all of the things listed above, and others as well.

But the unvarnished bottom line concerning valuation is this: A sculpture’s monetary value is precisely the amount of money a buyer is willing to pay for it. Period. All stop. Mic drop.

Authentication is the process of proving something to be valid. It is the action of confirming that the bronze sculpture you are considering purchasing is what it is purported to be.

Bronze sculpture as a method of expression of art has been with us for a very long time. During the historic period known as the bronze age (approximately 3300 BC to 1200 BC) civilizations learned to combine the element copper with the elements tin and/or arsenic to produce a metal alloy that was far stronger than copper alone. This made bronze a superior alloy for the making of tools and weapons, and the process was inevitably adapted for the casting of bronze sculpture.

Of course in major ways the technical production processes have evolved over time, but the basic concepts remain the same – generate sufficient heat to reduce ore into a molten state, pour the molten metal into a mold that holds the negative impression of the sculpture you wish to produce, remove the cooled metal from the mold, and finish the metal sculpture as desired.

Modern foundry methods have enhanced these procedures. Among the advances include natural gas and electric ore melting furnaces, the development of bronze alloys with physical characteristics more suited to sculpture casting, TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding, plasma cutters that can cut through metal sprues in seconds, electric and air powered grinding and finishing tools, and hand operated gas torches used to heat the finished bronze to give it its desired patina.

All of these developments provide clues in the authentication of a bronze sculpture.

For example, a welded place on the bronze would obviously negate the possibility of its having been produced before welding machines were invented. A spear in the hand of a sculpted figure that is held in place by epoxy was obviously not produced in the 1800’s, before epoxy was invented.

The clues are numerous and often not discernable to the untrained eye.

The artworld is replete with misrepresentations, forgeries, and unauthorized reproductions.  A bronze sculpture can best be authenticated by an expert trained in this specialty, who can recognize these clues, and can attempt to verify the provenance (historical record) of the sculpture.

Provenance describes the historical chain of ownership of a work of art from its creation to its current owner. It is the gold standard of authentication.

One important step in tracing the provenance of a bronze sculpture can be to identify the foundry where the work was cast. For example, on Frederick Remington sculptures produced as long ago as the late 1800’s can be found the words “Roman Bronze Works” imprinted in their cast bases. This identifies the New York foundry where most of Remington’s bronzes were made.

(The chances, however, of coming across an authentic original Remington bronze sculpture can be classified in one of three categories: Slim, Fat, and None. Remington originals are housed in museums and valued in the millions of dollars.)

The point is that most foundries specializing in fine art casting imprint their name or foundry stamp or logo in the casting. This can simplify tracing the sculpture’s provenance as it identifies the locus of origin. (See photo of Desert Crucible foundry mark.)

Unfortunately, many dubious techniques are employed to lead the buyer to believe a sculpture for sale is something other than what it actually is. There are credible looking outright forgeries, there are unauthorized reproductions of artists’ copyrighted work, there are sculptures marketed as “cold cast bronze” or “bonded bronze” which are a resin or epoxy substrate with a bronze powder veneer, there are elaborate and official looking “Certificate of Authenticity” approaches and “Strictly Numbered Edition Certificate” offerings, and on and on.  

The best way for a serious buyer or collector to verify the authenticity of a bronze sculpture is to consult a professional who is trained in this procedure.

For some buyers the authentication, provenance, and valuation of an artwork may be of no importance whatsoever.

There is a derogatory term that is sometimes used to denigrate an artist’s work –“sofa art.” It is a snobbish term that implies the work was purchased not because of its intrinsic artistic value, but because it fits in well with the décor of the room in which it is displayed.

Nonsense! to the denigration. Art is for the enjoyment and edification of the viewer. The 1983 classic film “A Christmas Story” illustrates this concept perfectly. In it the father of the family wins a contest consolation prize that is a table lamp in the shape of a woman’s leg. It is unattractive, incongruous, and campy to all except the father. He thinks it is beautiful. It is a fine example of the meaning of the idiom “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

The one advantage “knock-offs” have over traditional fine art is price. Attractive sculptures can be created using less expensive materials, and less expensive processes than those used to produce a traditional lost wax, investment cast bronze. There is nothing wrong with that. The only problem is when the “knock-off” is represented as something it is not.

But if you like it, if it appeals to you … buy it!