Metal Thievery Evolves, in Scale and in Technique

By KIRK JOHNSON
Published: May 14, 2010

PIERCE, Colo. — Scrap metal thieves are not known for sophistication. From drug addicts in the 1970s ripping copper plumbing from walls to scrap-yard regulars of more recent years who proffer whatever fell off a truck, stealing hunks of coil or reinforcing bar has mostly been about having a strong back and a willingness to get dirty, law enforcement experts say.

...Metal crime is being nudged into the 21st century by technology, high commodity prices and bad economic times, law enforcement officials and insurance experts say.

“Before, it was go check the pawnshops and scrap yards,” said Jim Sauerwein, a senior investigator for the Harvey County Sheriff’s Office in south-central Kansas. “Now it’s picture phones, the Internet and eBay.”

The metabolism of the market for stolen metal has accelerated as well, Mr. Sauerwein said. His rule of thumb in tracing a theft these days is that whatever is stolen has probably changed hands as many as four times within 48 hours of its disappearance.

...Scrap metal dealers are feeling the heat as well, in preventing thefts on their own property — some have recently hired 24-hour guards — and in protecting themselves from legal trouble for buying stolen property. One big problem is that metal in hunks or coils or machinery in pieces is generic and hard to track.

Full article is here.



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When nature and sculpture collide!

Talk about getting a little too close for comfort! This moose doesn't need a scent, just a good visual. The piece is by famed artist Joy Kroeger Beckner. I guess the realism is too much for this moose to resist.

If YOU'RE in the market for a wildlife sculpture or statue, we have a large in-stock selection available at wholesale prices. Including OUR bronze bison.

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National Sculpture Society to hold Annual Celebration Weekend

WASHINGTON, May 5 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Sculpture Society will hold its annual "Sculpture Celebration Weekend" May 20 through May 23 in Washington, D.C.. The events and festivities will include tours of important national monuments with their creators, including famed sculptors Stanley Bleifeld and Neil Eastern, as well as award presentations to Michael Graves, Bruno Lucchesi and other luminaries of the art world.

The event opens Thursday evening, May 20, with a Welcome Reception at the Arts Club, in the President James Monroe House. Friday will feature private tours with the sculptors of the Franklin D. Roosevelt and U. S. Navy memorials, and a reception in the President's Room, Navy Memorial Theater, with Welcome by Rear Admiral Edward K. Walker, Jr. President and CEO of the U. S. Navy Memorial Foundation.

Saturday starts with an informative presentation with Lauren Lee Cobb of C.A.S.E. Solutions Advertising about the latest interactive tools in marketing. After lunch, attendees will gather at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, where they can meet with celebrated figure sculptor Eugene Daub for a special opportunity to examine the Museum's extensive medallion collection or explore the museum on their own.

Sunday provides an opportunity to explore monuments throughout Washington, D. C. by National Sculpture Society members. Several living sculptors of these works will be in attendance, including Neil Estern (US Navy Memorial), Stanley Bleifeld (FDR Memorial) Nina Akamu (Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism During WWII), Kristen Kokkin ("Crown Princess of Norway" outside Norwegian Embassy) and Bart Walter ("The Gathering" at the Smithsonian National Zoo).



If you're looking to add a "monument" to your garden landscape, park, or public space we have a large selection of in-stock bronze statues and fountains to fit your needs.

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Archaeologists Unearth Early Roman Sculpture Fragments at Stobi Site

Archaeology Daily News
Balkan Travellers

Archaeologists unearthed a sculpture fragments of a man's head and a small torso dating from to the Early Roman period during recent excavations of the ancient Stobi site in central Macedonia.

The discoveries, found at the temple building which has been undergoing archaeological excavations, are rare and important, as they will shed light on the life of people during that period, archaeologist Silvana Blahzevska, Director of the National Institution Stobi, explained, cited by the Vecer newspaper.

"The way the hair and the face of the found head were made, as well as the ap

pearance of the remaining part of the sculpture, suggest that it was of an emperor or an important citizen who lived in the first century," Blazhevka stated.
Archaeologists expect that the find will help them learn more about the temple which has been continuously robbed since antiquity . about whom it was dedicated to and when it was constructed.

According to Blazhevska, so far there was no detailed information on the temple, whose roof was entirely destroyed and whose floor was covered with rubble from different time periods. Since a Russian coin from 1863 was found at the site, according to the arcaheologist, the temple was thought to have been fully plundered, but now, fortunately, it turns out that the first floor has not been touched.

The excavations at the ancient site of Stobi are being carried out by a team of 65 archaeologists and 400 workers.

Director of the Cultural Heritage Protection Office Pasko Kuzman told the publication that many other archaeological sites, in addition to Stobi, will continue to be excavated this year, while Minister of Culture Elizabeta Kancheska . Milevska said that work at the site will continue as long as the weather conditions allow.

The ancient town of Stobi, which developed from a Paeonian settlement established in the Archaic period, is located on the main road that leads from the Danube to the Aegean Sea and is considered by many to be the most famous archaeological site in the Republic of Macedonia.




If you'd like a piece of Roman sculpture check out our replicas of Caesar, Perseus slaying Medusa, or the fabled Capitoline Wolf!

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Giant horse sculpture intended to become a new landmark in Kent have been given planning permission

As stated on sculptsite.com

EBBSFLEET VALLEY, KENT THAMESIDE, UK - Artist Mark Wallinger's White Horse is 33 times life-size and, overlooking the A2 in the Ebbsfleet Valley, will be seen by up to 60 million people a year.

The steel-frame scheme, selected following a competition, was unanimously approved yesterday by Gravesham Borough Council.

The backers of the project, Eurostar, Land Securities and London & Continental Railways, have so far injected around £1 million of seed funding to get the project off the ground.

Wallinger said: "This is a tremendously exciting project. I was honoured that my White Horse won the competition and I am delighted that Gravesham Borough Council has granted it planning permission. The team and I are very much looking forward to creating a new landmark for the area."

Project Director Mark Davy said the sculpture would "act as an important catalyst for the cultural identity of the area".

"Ebbsfleet Valley will be a major new mixed-use development, which is set to become a hub for an emerging new economy in the South-east," he added.

Other parties involved in the project include engineer Alliance Design Group.




If you're interested in something a bit smaller, say lifesize, check out our selection of lifesize horses. We have several styles for the equestrian enthusiast.

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Phillies fans to honor Harry Kalas with memorial bronze statue

The late Harry Kalas is being honored by his devoted fans with a memorial bronze sculpture to be donated to the Philadelphia Phillies organization. A website has been created to raise the $80k plus it will take to make this happen. A local artist has been hired after taking it upon himself to create a model after seeing a petition online to have a statue created. While this is all very moving and sincere, these fans could have obtained the sculpture at a fraction of the price if they shopped around a bit. Here at bigbronze.com we can create custom works as well but for a lot less than the $80,000 the fans of philadelphia are paying. And our pieces are of no less quality than the ones made by a famous artist. The difference is you pay for a name when you commission a known artist. We don't charge for the privelage of our services, just the service itself. So, if you're in the market for a custom piece to honor someone or some thing, save yourself a substantial amount by giving us a call first and getting the most bang for your buck.

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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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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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Bronze Sculpture 101: Understanding Patina

As stated on wikipedia:

Patina (pronounced /ˈpætənə/ or /pəˈtiːnə/) is a film on the surface of bronze or similar metals (produced by oxidation over a long period); a sheen on wooden furniture produced by age, wear, and polishing; or any such acquired change of a surface through age and exposure. On metal, patina is a coating of various chemical compounds such as oxides or carbonates formed on the surface during exposure to the elements (weathering). Patina also refers to accumulated changes in surface texture and colour that result from normal use of an object such as a coin or a piece of furniture over time.

Patinas are restricted to exposed surfaces and are fragile (that is, they can flake off). One reason bronze is so highly valued in statuary is that its patina protects or passivates it against further corrosion. This natural patina is solid and seldom shows a tendency to flake. Brass is also resistant to corrosion, but it is, in the long run, not as attractive since local pitting shows against the shiny background.

The green patina that forms naturally on copper and bronze is often mis-named verdigris and usually consists of a mixture of chlorides, sulphides and carbonates. copper carbonate or copper chloride. Atacamite is another name for the patina compounds. Verdigris can be produced on copper by addition of vinegar (acetic acid) - such a verdigris is water-soluble and will not last on the outside of a building like a "true" patina.

One example of a patina is a green surface texture created by slow chemical alteration of copper, producing a basic carbonate. It can form on pure copper objects as well as alloys which contain copper, such as bronze or brass.

Artists and metalworkers often deliberately add patinas as a part of the original design and decoration of art and furniture, or to simulate antiquity in newly-made objects.

A wide range of chemicals, both household and commercial, can give a variety of patinas. They are often used by artists as surface embellishments either for color, texture, or both. Patination composition varies with the reacted elements and these will determine the color of the patina. For copper alloys, such as bronze, exposure to chlorides leads to green, while sulfur compounds (such as "liver of sulfur") tend to brown.


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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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Giacometti Sculpture Becomes Most Expensive Work Ever to Sell at Auction

via ARTINFO on Yahoo Finance:

A rare life-size and life-time bronze cast, from 1961, of Alberto Giacometti's L'Homme Qui Marche I, better known as "Walking Man," improbably became the most expensive work of art ever to sell at auction today, selling for £65,001,250 ($104,327,006).

And people always wonder why bronze sculptures are priced so high! Which is all the more reason to come shop with us! We offer foundry direct, wholesale pricing without the artist or gallery mark up. Many of our pieces our designed in-house and can not be found anywhere else, like our lifesize T-Rex skull.


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