The early bird gets the worm, and the best selection and prices!

We constantly tell people that call in to inquire about one of our pieces that the time to buy is now, generally this goes unheeded because people assume it's just a sales tactic. It's not. We have a lot of sculptures and fountains in-stock, but never more than 1 or 2 of each style. What this means to a consumer is it's better to buy now than wait and hope for a better price. We're already the lowest priced dealer in the country so waiting and hoping to save an extra hundred dollars may actually cost you more in the long run. All our in-stock prices are based on our cost AT THE TIME we purchased it. If you wait, and the piece sells out, you now risk paying significantly more because the next time we order it the price will have gone up on our end which means it's going up on your end as well. Plus, by ordering sooner than later you'll get the best selection as well.

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Loonie climbs past parity for second day, Canadien buying power increases.

Canadien residents can really take advantage of the current economics and the strength of the Loonie by buying US products.

As stated REUTERS:

"The Canadian dollar continued to test parity against its U.S. counterpart on Wednesday, hitting a near 21-month high a day after reaching one-for-one footing.

At 8:03 a.m. (1203 GMT), the Canadian dollar climbed to C$1.0005 to the U.S. dollar, or 99.95 U.S. cents, higher than Tuesday's close at C$1.0012 to the U.S. dollar, or 99.88 U.S. cents."

With a weak dollar and the most affordable prices on the web, buying a bronze sculpture, statue, or fountain has never been easier. Even with price increases expected, bigbronze.com is your source for bronze landscape and home decor.

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Times they are a changin'. The economy and Small Business

The economical downturn has created a difficult situation for everybody, but maybe especially the small business. Spending is WAY down. Debts are way up. Not a good combination for a small business owner that needs those non existent dollars to survive. And, since desperate times call for desperate measures that meant adjusting our business strategy. For the first three quarters of our existence as a foundry direct source for bronze sculptures and fountains we were predominantly a strictly wholesale distributor that catered to the needs of the online store. These are people that have set up a website where people can purchase the items but have no actual inventory of their own. They buy from us and then sell the pieces on their sites for a profit, the definition of a middle man. Since the economical shift however, many of those middlemen either folded or began selling smaller items with less of a mark up. This forced us to change our thinking as well. Since we can no longer rely on our wholesale customers for orders we began positioning ourselves as a foundry direct Retailer with wholesale pricing. Which is true. We are foundry direct and we do offer wholesale pricing, sometimes below wholesale pricing. In fact, probably 90% of our business is now done as a retailer. Adjusting with the times is what has enabled us to continue to survive and sell our items in spite of an economy that dictates otherwise. And it's why we are proud to say we have the best pricing on the web.

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Chilean Earthquake to impact Bronze Sculpture Pricing and Availability

The recent earthquake in Chile will most certainly have a far reaching affect on many people and industries. One of those industries that is certain to be affected are the bronze foundry and sculpture businesses that provide art, public statuary, and fountains. Vast copper mines have been virtually shut down by the recent earthquake which has already taken hundreds of lives and caused a massive amount of damage to the country's infrastructure. What this means for the foundries and statuary dealers around the world is an almost certain major hike in prices due to the loss of copper, which is essential to the creation of bronze. The price of copper has nearly tripled in the last 2 months alone, and that was BEFORE the earthquake. There's no telling where this will send the pricing. If you're looking to add a bronze statue or fountain to your park, garden, or landscape, NOW is the time to buy. Pricing at many places will stay the same for in-stock items but newer or re-orders of the same piece may be double the price. Being hesitant to commit may really cost you where it hurts the most, your wallet.

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Garden Trends 2010: Creating an outdoor living space with sculpture

With a ever shrinking economy, the shift in focus to create a backyard oasis or "room" has become extremely popular. Experts urge people to really take advantage of the spaces we have and really utilize them for maximum enjoyment. Bold colors and edible gardens are replacing boring drab grasses and shrubs. But like any well decorated room, there has to be some points of interest to embelish the natural beauty of the garden and landscaping.

Enter garden art. Especially metal sculptures and fountains. They are an easy way to add to the serenity and overall theme of your backyard paradise. The possibilities are endless, as are some of the prices! Metal sculpture, such as bronze, is great because it is low maintainence and very durable. It goes well in virtually every setting and can be purchased for bargain prices. They also come in a wide variety of themes including nautical, classical, equestrian, eastern and asian, and wildlife styles.

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Spring is just around the corner! Get your bronze sculpture or fountain order in now and save!

It may not feel like it right now, but spring is just a few weeks away and, with it, the time for home improvements begins. If you're looking to add a fountain or statue to your landscape or garden, now is the time to buy. When spring arrives so do the price increases and pieces you could get for significant discounts now, like our victorian tiered fountain or cherub fountain, will soon be gone. This may be the difference of hundreds, if not thousands of dollars back in your wallet simply because you were proactive in your purchasing. Bronze sculpture pricing is highly volatile and increases tend to swing greatly from shipment to shipment. Getting the piece you want at a good price is really up to you. When we say that these are the best prices ever offered, we mean it.

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Buying a Bronze Sculpture 101: Installing Your Statue

After you've purchased your new bronze sculpture, statue, or fountain you'll be asking yourself, "Now what do I do with it?" We constantly get asked what the best way to mount one of pieces is. And, really, there are many answers which is why we don't generally recommend a specific way. This is mostly because each location and use for the bronze is very different. What works in one place may not be a good idea in another. As the customer you'll need to assess what you'll be doing with the bronze and which installation is appropriate. Mounting brackets can be welded to the piece and then bolted to a concrete slab, the base can be drilled allowing an anchor bolt to be fed through. We've had customers simply sink a steel pipe filled with concrete and a bolt sticking out which was set in place through a hole in the base. Another method is to bolt a metal plate to a concrete slab and then have the piece welded to the plate. Construction grade apoxy, which hardens harder than concrete, can be used. The bases are hollow on nearly all pieces and we've actually had people fill the cavity with concrete to weigh the piece down. So, as you can see, the methods are as varied as the styles we offer. We recommend you consult a local landscape designer or specialist who should have some experience mounting sculptures in your area. Their knowledge will be invaluable to making sure your new bronze gets installed the best way for your need and ensure it looks good for many years to come. An example of this is our mermaid and dolphin piece that was installed for a homeowner in florida.

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Buying Bronze Sculpture 101: Preserving Your Bronze

After you purchase your new bronze sculpture, statue, or fountain you'll want to ensure that it keeps its beautiful look for many years to come. Now, you may want to leave the piece alone and have it naturally "age" over time. A lot of people like the pieces even more once they begin to get that Statue of Liberty look to them. If you're one of these people, just sit back and enjoy your piece as is and it will weather over time. However, if you'd like the piece to retain its original look, like our Eagle, some protection will be required. When these piece are created they're polished with a wax like Kiwi Boot polish which gives them that beautiful luster. Eventually, that initial coating will wear off and the weathering process will begin. To prevent this you can put on a new coating of the same type of polish, plain paste wax, or a clear spray on laquer. We recommend Permalac. It comes in a spray can and is easy to apply. You definitely never NEVER want to use any automotive grade waxes or abrasives as it will remove the finish rather than protect it. A little simple maintenance every few years will keep your bronze looking as good as the day you bought it!

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Buying Bronze Sculpture 101: Accent or Impact?

When you make the decision to purchase a bronze sculpture, statue, or fountain the most important question to ask yourself is, "What am I going for?" This simple question can go a long way to helping you narrow down your search and make the process much less stressful. There's basically two trains of thought, " Do I want a subtle yet pleasing accent or do I want to make an impact!?" You should sit down and take a look at your specific need to figure this out. A small garden with a water feature? You may want to get a piece like the heron, pictured, that will add beauty yet not overpower the landscape. Have a business you'd like to see get more attention? A large bronze statue like our charging bull, pictured above, would be the way to go. A piece like that is sure to get the attention of passers by as well as your clientele. A piece that large will make much more of an impact than a flat sign, no matter how fancy. And often, it's cheaper than a sign! The same holds true with a bronze fountain. Is it going to be the focal point of the space it's in or add to the overall ambience? Just a quick evaluation will help you to decide which direction you need to go in and make the buying process a good one!

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Buying Bronze Sculpture 101: Shipping Tips and Cost

Shipping a large piece of bronze sculpture or fountain is no small task. Many times, the cost of shipping can be a deal breaker when a piece needs to be shipped across country. Bronze is heavy, especially when you're dealing with life-size works. Most people don't realize the cost involved and often directly compare the shipping cost to the price they paid for the statue or fountain itself. We encourage our customers not to do this for two reasons; first, you're liable to miss out on an incredible price and second, the shipping cost we're able to offer is often far and away better than you would pay as an individual. We often recommend brokers like Blue Grace Logistics or Diversified Transportation Services who can get the lowest rates by bidding the job to competing companies. Also, you must take into account the work that goes into getting your bronze ready for shipment. Each piece must be carefully wrapped and crated, with the crate being completely tailored to each work of art. This service is often free. In fact, if you ever need to ship a piece yourself you'll want to be sure to put it on a pallet base for easy moving, and build a secure crate with a lot of supports for the piece so it won't move around during it's journey. Not doing so will most likely result in damage to your sculpture or you may not be allowed to ship it at all. A good way to know if you're getting a good deal on shipping is if the amount is pre-paid or collect. If it's pre-paid the company has most likely added a pecentage over the estimate they received to cover themselves, but this means you may be paying an extra couple hundred dollars you didn't need to. The same holds true with "Free Shipping"; generally this just means that the cost of the shipping has been added in to your price, with the same mark-up you'd find with the pre-paid. We like doing freight collect. It ensures that the customer only pays the exact amount due and eliminates the upcharge we would have to include. This way, the customer knows they're not being taken for more money than needed. At bigbronze.com we want our customers to feel they are getting the maximum savings we can provide, be it through us or an outside broker.

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Buying Bronze Sculpture 101: Price vs. Quality

When you decide to add a piece of bronze sculpture, statue, or a fountain to your landscape or home decor you want to know that you're getting a quality item. Bronze is an investment and it's not a cheap one. However, a gallery piece with an astronomical price tag doesn't always guarantee that it's well made. Vice versa, a "wholesale discount" piece doesn't mean that it's poorly made. Many people have an aversion to purchasing items that were made overseas because the belief is that it's probably not very well made. And, in some cases, this is true. This is why due diligence is very important. A reputable dealer with a history of happy customers should go a long way toward easing any worries you may have as to the quality of the sculptures and art they are selling. Often times, the overseas artisans and foundries were trained in the states and then went back home to build their business there. Also, the prices often reflect the cost of doing business in a certain country. The cost of living, average pay, and overhead all play major factors in the cost you must pay. So, the next time your in the market for a bronze sculpture or fountain, knowing fact from fiction should help you get the best price and best quality piece for the price.

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Buying a Bronze Sculpture 101: Artist vs. Wholesale

A question brought to us a lot is,"Who is the artist?" or "Is the piece signed?" The idea that you are owning a one of a kind or limited edition piece from an established artist is very appealing to people. However, the price that goes along with owning one of these "artist" originals isn't appealing at all. And there in lies the major difference with owning an artist's bronze sculpture vs. a wholesale bronze sculpture, the price. Bronze art sculptures, statues, and fountains are all made the same way with the same materials, whether they are hot cast or cold cast. With an artist piece you're paying for the name, or reputation. When you buy from a wholesaler, you're paying for the bronze, and not the artist's ego. The quality of the pieces are virtually the same. In fact, many of the foundries that create the pieces sold at a wholesaler are used to make the limited editions sold by an artist at a fancy gallery. The only other difference between an artist's bronze and a wholesale bronze is quantity. Generally artist pieces are done in very limited editions whereas wholesale pieces are done in quantity. Both have inherent value that will increase over time as metal prices increase. So, before you make your purchase, decide what you're really after, a piece you can sit back and enjoy knowing you paid a fair price for, or an artist piece you can enjoy, but hope you didn't pay too much and whether the artist's name will grow. Either way, they're both bronze and will last a lifetime and longer. It's just a matter of the price you want to pay.

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