Spelter is a zinc-based metal alloy used extensively in France for affordable decorative figures and lamps. It allows for fine casting detail and accepts various patinated or painted finishes easily.

Are these figures solid bronze?

These pieces are cast from spelter rather than bronze, making them lighter and historically more accessible. Makers often mounted them onto heavy marble or onyx plinths to provide stability.

When were these sculptures made?

The pieces span from the nineteenth century through the Art Deco era of the nineteen-twenties and thirties. Nineteenth-century examples lean towards classical or pastoral subjects, while later pieces favour modern lines.