How do I identify a spelter statue from bronze?

Spelter is lighter in weight than bronze and tends to feel softer when scratched beneath the base where the finish is absent. It also lacks the natural warm resonance and dense structural integrity found in cast bronze. Examination of the surface often reveals areas where the applied bronze-coloured paint has worn thin to expose the greyish metal underneath. Bronze develops a stable oxidation layer over time, whereas spelter corrodes and flakes differently.

Were these statues signed by the sculptor?

Many nineteenth and twentieth-century French sculptures bear the signature of the artist cast directly into the bronze or carved into the marble base. Foundry stamps and cachets frequently accompany these signatures to verify production origins. Unsigned pieces remain common, often representing studio work or later commercial editions produced without individual artist attribution. Catalogues raisonnés and foundry records help attribute unsigned works through comparison of form and casting style.

What is the purpose of marble bases on metal figures?

Marble bases provide necessary physical stability and weight to counterbalance the upper metal sculpture. They also serve an aesthetic function, contrasting the dark or gilt metal surfaces with polished stone. During the art deco period, stepped and multi-coloured marble plinths became integral architectural elements of the design. These bases often incorporate channels or bevelled edges characteristic of specific stylistic periods.

How should antique bronze statues be cleaned?

Maintenance requires only gentle dusting with a soft, dry cloth to remove surface particles. Avoid water, commercial brass polishes, and chemical cleaners that strip away the original historical patina. Microcrystalline wax can be applied very sparingly by experienced collectors to protect vulnerable metal surfaces from atmospheric moisture. Professional conservation is recommended for pieces showing active corrosion or structural damage.

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Antique French Statues

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Antique french statues bring classical figures, mythological subjects, and animalier studies into rooms through skilled metalwork and carving.

A Late 18th-19thc French Gilt Bronze-ormolu Putto Finial Ornament Mount 24cm

19th century

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A Late 18th-19thc French Gilt Bronze-ormolu Putto Finial Ornament Mount 24cm

From Gilt and Gesso

£350

FOR SALE

sculptures

French Carved Oak Column Display Pedestal

19th century

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French Carved Oak Column Display Pedestal

From Elmgarden

£1,600

FOR SALE

miscellaneous

19th century

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19th Century French Figural Bronze, the Figure Attributed to Pierre-augustin Caron De Beaumarchais.

From Peter Harris Clocks & Militaria

£550

FOR SALE

sculptures

Large Antique French Bronze Neoclassical Robed Lady

19th century

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Large Antique French Bronze Neoclassical Robed Lady

From Marylebone Antiques

£2,450

FOR SALE

sculptures

Antique French Moreau Family Bronze Sculpture of a Young Maiden 15.5 Inches Tall

1900 - 1920

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Antique French Moreau Family Bronze Sculpture of a Young Maiden 15.5 Inches Tall

From Artsonline

£290

FOR SALE

sculptures

French Mantle Clock with Figure of Napoleon.

19th century

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French Mantle Clock with Figure of Napoleon.

From Deva Antiques

£585

FOR SALE

clocks

19th century

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Large Late 19th Century French Bronzed Spelter Figure of a Farm Labourer, Signed F.milliot

From LVS Decorative Arts

£1,250

FOR SALE

sculptures

19th century

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19th Century French Borghese Gladiator Bronze of Large Scale

From Loveday Antiques

£3,450

FOR SALE

sculptures

French Bronze La Source Nude Figure Circa 1900

1900 - 1920

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French Bronze La Source Nude Figure Circa 1900

From Cheshire Antiques Consultant Ltd

£4,500

FOR SALE

metal

Antique Bronze Figure of a Cherub Playing a Musical Triangle

19th century

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Antique Bronze Figure of a Cherub Playing a Musical Triangle

From Judy Fox Antiques

£900

FOR SALE

sculptures

Listings feature works from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, spanning neoclassical, art nouveau, and art deco movements in bronze, marble, and wood.

19th century

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Large Late 19th Century Bronze Figure of ‘Hippomenes’ Signed 'Barbedienne' After the Original by Coustou

From LVS Decorative Arts

£3,400

FOR SALE

sculptures

Art Nouveau Bronze Figure of a Woman Seated on Marble

1900 - 1920

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Art Nouveau Bronze Figure of a Woman Seated on Marble

From The Design Gallery

£1,100

FOR SALE

metal

E Rousseau Pair of Gilt Figural Table Lamps

1900 - 1920

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E Rousseau Pair of Gilt Figural Table Lamps

From Heydays Antiques

£580

FOR SALE

lighting

Art Deco Bronze Panther Sculpture on Marble Base

1920 - 1940

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Art Deco Bronze Panther Sculpture on Marble Base

From The Design Gallery

£1,350

FOR SALE

sculptures

19th century

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Pair of Charming Late 19th Century Bronze Allegorical Harvest Putti in the Manner of Claude Michael Clodion

From LVS Decorative Arts

£1,100

FOR SALE

sculptures

18th century

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Carved Wood Polychrome Cherub Head. 18th Century French Putti Statue.

From Krave Antiques

£650

FOR SALE

miscellaneous

← 1 2 3 4 5 6 ... 37 →

Antique French Statues

A Late 18th-19thc French Gilt Bronze-ormolu Putto Finial Ornament Mount 24cm

French Carved Oak Column Display Pedestal

19th Century French Figural Bronze, the Figure Attributed to Pierre-augustin Caron De Beaumarchais.

Large Antique French Bronze Neoclassical Robed Lady

Antique French Moreau Family Bronze Sculpture of a Young Maiden 15.5 Inches Tall

French Mantle Clock with Figure of Napoleon.

Large Late 19th Century French Bronzed Spelter Figure of a Farm Labourer, Signed F.milliot

19th Century French Borghese Gladiator Bronze of Large Scale

French Bronze La Source Nude Figure Circa 1900

Antique Bronze Figure of a Cherub Playing a Musical Triangle

Large Late 19th Century Bronze Figure of ‘Hippomenes’ Signed 'Barbedienne' After the Original by Coustou

Art Nouveau Bronze Figure of a Woman Seated on Marble

E Rousseau Pair of Gilt Figural Table Lamps

Art Deco Bronze Panther Sculpture on Marble Base

Pair of Charming Late 19th Century Bronze Allegorical Harvest Putti in the Manner of Claude Michael Clodion

Carved Wood Polychrome Cherub Head. 18th Century French Putti Statue.

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