Just HOW do you tell the difference?

[85ronnies]

If you have already been duped by a fake bronze statue, don't worry; even some of the best examples of this art have been mistaken for the real thing by experts. And this will ultimately depreciate the value of the item, but many famous museums have been known to purchase a fake statue or two in their day, so do not be discouraged if you have been taken by a seller once before.

But to really tell if your bronzed statue is real or fake, you will first want to know that old bronze and old brass are often mistaken for one another. This is because the bright, shiny color of brass often wears away with age. But bronze is a mixture of copper and tin. Brass is copper and zinc mixed together. The first way to tell the difference is that bronze is a lot heavier than brass. It is usually darker, even when the brass has been dulled with age .........

just found this on the net M8 so your not on your own
cheers Ronie

[John Brandon]

It's still a bloody fake! boo hoo, ..........................I hate this game. But it's a drug!

[85ronnies]

here are well worn ones John thats what i mean with the green bits
cheers Ronnie

[Rob truscott]

, Its easy to create a patina that looks old with sulphides and heat . The best bronzes arent the heaviest as its desirable to create them hollow and keep the metal as thin as possible without risking stopping the metal flow . Ive not handled Third Reich Bronzes ,but have seen the quality in photos ,which is of course high ! Maybe unbolt it and see what its like inside John ? Sometimes the ceramic shell isnt cleaned out properly ! I would guess all the Bronzes were signed or at least stamped with a foundry mark .....some kind of quality control . wheras now there being knocked out anyhow !

[Walkwolf]

I have to agree with Ade on this one.
There appears to be an artificially applied patina.

I'm also not keen on the over-simplified likeness. It lacks true artistic
qualities you would expect to see on a genuine period sculpture.

[davejb]

John, a friend of mine has two bronze busts of hitler but i believe they are both signed by the sculpturer, the detail in them is very good, and yes they weigh a fair bit, both were obtained by her grandfather just after the war because he was a fascist sympathiser and supported mosley, i think both are coming my way soon along with a nice artillery bullion insignia officers cap i will ask her as to what details are present on the busts

[John Brandon]

Thanks to all of the replies.

I think I knew before the start of this thread what to expect. I took the base off, and I believe the metal to be brass, not bronze. There is a small drill hole at the bottom (Where the bolt goes in) and inside, it's full of sand to give it weight i suppose............... There are no marks on it anywhere (foundry or artist)

All in all, another nail in my coffin .....................oh well, it looks good!

[gerrit]

its a copy for sure, just look at the way its bolted on the bottom,that's a brand new bolt.
also i see no ageing at all, no patina at all.
this colour ageing is artificial.
it prop. from the same plant as this one...
a very nice "original" piece
this is not the way bronze ages..this is done with chemical treatment.
nice example below
excellent original Third Reich Adolf Hitler bust

[Adrian Stevenson]

I think that does indeed nail it.

Cheers, Ade.