Bronze spelter reclining nude figure by Emile Carlier, c. 1900
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Emile Joseph Nestor Carlier (French, 1849 - 1927), bronze spelter figure of a reclining nude, c. 1900, with draped shawl, holding a bird in her left hand, another bird at her side, signed 'Carlier', with foundry stamp 'Fabrication Francaise, Paris, made in France', on white marble base, height 23.5 cm, width 56 cm, depth 20 cm. Provenance: Ben Stoner Antiques, Sydney
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- Bronze - An alloy of copper and tin, traditionally in the proportions of about 9 parts of copper to 1 part of tin.
The discovery of bronze in Western Asia in the 4th century enabled people to create metal objects which were superior to those previoulsy possible because of its strength and hardness, and it has been used throughout the world for weapons, coins, tools, statuary and other decorative items.
It is very fluid in a molten state, and its hardness, strength when set, and non-corrosive properties makes it most suitable for casting sculpture. - Spelter - Spelter was the name given to an alloy of zinc and brass or copper used in the 19th century for statuary and lighting. It is a brittle bluish-white metal. It was used as a cheap replacement for bronze, but being brittle easily breaks and can't be repaired. When finished it can often be mistaken for bronze, but if discreet a scratch on the base displays shows a greyish colour, the metal is spelter, if a golden colour the metal is most likely bronze.
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