Different Brass Finishes

The antique dark finish is our most popular original version. Due to several requests we also have a shiny gold version, antique and patina.

Production

Our bronze is made in East Java in one of three villages. Each village manufactures bronze in it’s own style passed down through generations. One of our artisan families consist of 10 brothers and sons working together in the family business.

Within each village the individual families create and own their own moulds and style there is competition between families and a quasi intellectual property understanding. Sometimes disagreements break out and are settled in various ways but not in writing! The moulds are fashioned using carved wax that is then cast into cement moulds. The cement moulds are then used to cast the molten metal. The make up of bronze varies but generally is 10 percent tin and 90 percent copper with other trace elements.

Some of our bronze items are cast with sand inside and some are hollow it just depends on how the artisan makes them. We are now requesting for them to be hollow as it does not effect the use of the product and we don’t like shipping sand throughout the world. Each one of our brass products is hand cast and handled several times in the finishing process. the bronze making process is very labor intensive. Each item is hand cast and hand finished. Some moulds are cast as individual components and then welded together to the final product some are cast as one item.

For example our wall decor climbing men are cast with arms, legs, body, and head all separate and then welded together to completion. Any of our items are available in one of 4 finishes. Shiny bronze gold is the natural finish, silver is used to plate over the bronze. Silver tarnishes so if the item is going to be used outside in the elements it’s not recommended to choose silver. Patina (green), and Antique (brown with gold highlights).

We hope you enjoy your purchase and the historical process of the bronze.