Hachiko famouse Akita dog statue of Tokyo Japan replica gets new home in Woonsocket R.I.

This bronze statue replica was made by All Classics Ltd and can be bought here By RUSS OLIVO WOONSOCKET – For six weeks, the metal statue was hidden in the janitor's broom closet. “It was a big secret,” say Robert Pilkington, principal of the Beacon Charter High School for the Arts. “Very few people knew about it.” But the secret's out now, and soon Hachiko – or at least a life-size bronze likeness of the famous dog – will be appearing at a train station near you, the mirror image of the original on the other side of the globe. In case you missed all the earlier hoopla, the Depot Building was the defining set piece for Hollywood icon Richard Gere's 2009 film about the celebrated canine. “Hachiko,” the film, was based on the true story of an Akita in Japan that used to greet his owner as he stepped off the train from work every day at the same time – and continued to do so for a decade after the man died suddenly at work. Hachiko lived as a stray and kept up his sadly futile routine until the day he, too, died. The Japanese were so impressed by Hachiko's enduring loyalty that they erected a statue to him outside Shibuya station in 1934. Pilkington says it was Mayor Leo Fontaine who came up with the idea of erecting a replica statue of Hachiko, a project that would serve as part tourist attraction, part tribute to the creation of the film at the Depot Building, a former Providence & Worcester stop that was transformed into the “Bedford Falls” train station for the movie. He just took the ball and ran with it. At first Pilkington considered letting students in the art program create the replica out of plaster or clay and having the model casted in bronze at a foundry. “That would have been way too complicated, and it would have taken too long,” he says. In the end, Pilkington found what he was looking for where everyone else finds that special, one-of-a-kind item – on eBay. With the approval of Beacon's board of trustees, he expended $1,950 from the school's operating budget for the Hachiko statue. The shiny, brownish figure weighs 90 pounds and stands about three feet high. Cast in the sitting position, with an expression of vague longing in his eyes, the statue appears, so far as Pilkington can tell, like a perfect clone of the Hachiko that patiently waits outside Shibuya station in Japan. Pilkington says it was created by an artist from New Jersey who visited Japan and was so impressed by the original that he came home to make one of his own. “It appears to be an exact replica,” said Pilkington, as he perused laptop images of the real thing on YouTube in an office at the Beacon school. Pilkington wanted to make a surprise gift of the statue to the city, so he kept it hidden after it arrived in a shipping crate a few weeks ago. He chose to unveil the statue Thursday night at Savini's Restaurant, as Pilkington himself was being honored by the Rotary Club with its annual vocational service award. The city, says Pilkington, envisions the Hachiko project as a permanent tribute to the city's role in the movie and as a magnet for outsiders – maybe even a few visitors from Japan. It's no secret, says Pilkington, that Boston is a hub for Japanese visitors who often venture as close to Woonsocket as the Wrentham Village shopping center during their excursions to the Northeast. Given that Gere's film, a remake of the 1987 Japanese original, made $48 million in Japan – more than it earned in the U.S. – Pilkington says it's not such a far-fetched idea to think that Japanese tourists might detour to Woonsocket for a glimpse of the American version of the Shibuya icon while they're in the area. Fontaine agrees. From similarly tiny seeds the Museum of Work and Culture has developed solid ties with the foreign consul of Quebec which have served as a significant stimulus for tourism, the mayor says. “It's not as hokey as some people would make it out to be,” says the mayor. “I know some people will say we've got all these other problems, but we can't get so caught up in them we stop ourselves from taking pride in something this simple as dog.” Fontaine says the statue will also focus attention on a part of the downtown strip – the middle – that seems to be having the most trouble pulling itself up by the bootstraps. The poles of the Main Street axis have their well-established economic drivers – the Stadium Theatre on the north, Museum of Work and Culture on the south. “If we can start drawing some focus on the center, it's a good thing,” says the mayor. “It's an additional feature that we can offer to draw in some people and take some pride in our city.” The Hachiko project has the endorsement of Robert Billington, the director of the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, says Fontaine, and the city is already working with the state Department of Transportation to gain permission to erect the statue. DOT owns the Depot Building, which currently serves as the headquarters of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission. The city must also embark on a fundraising campaign to erect a base for the statue and figure out a way to anchor it securely to the base so that it is safe from vandals, says the mayor. If all goes according to plan, the statue will be formally dedicate in 2012, on April 8 – a day that is commemorated annually in Japan as “Hachiko Day.” For now, Hachiko is sitting proudly in the main office at the Beacon school, the expression of confused longing forever etched on his metallic snout. Mary Hoyle, the school nurse, can hardly bring herself to look at him. “I watched that movie,” she says. “It made me cry.”

Iconic Statue Makes a Business Stand Out

Adding a Statue can make Your Business Stand Out

If you're looking to add signage to the front of your business, a large bronze statue, sculpture, or fountain could be the way to go. In today's world of constant visual stimulus our attention spans are shorter than ever. We've become blind to standard billboards and other signage. Imagine a horse with blinders on, this has become the way we see the world. With so much visual stimulation, our brain has begun to tune these things out. What does this mean for a business? It means you have an even smaller chance of getting someones attention with a standard flat, lettered sign. Being creative in your approach at getting the attention you want and need for your business is more crucial than ever.

Placing a large, 3 dimensional bronze statue, sculpture, or fountain in front of your business is a great way to get people to stop and look rather than just move past without a second thought. You've now positioned yourself as a landmark rather than just another store or business craving attention. People love statues, they take pictures with them, connect with them, REMEMBER them. By adding a unique work of bronze art to your landscape they're likely to remember your business as well.

To see all of our monumental statues visit us here.

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Salvador Dali Venus de Milo Surrealist Bronze Sculpture Statue

This is our custom made, 3-D representation, of the Salvador Dali painting of the Venus de Milo with pencil drawers. Dali was enamoured with the icon for the Venus pencil company so he decided to do a painting of her. We're big fans of Dali so we decided to created a bronze sculpture of his painting. She's a very cool piece that we think any art collector would love.

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Halo Master Chief Xbox 360 Game Icon

This piece was custom made for a fan of the Halo game for the Xbox 360. The cutomer's son really loved the game so he had this piece made. He's HUGE! Standing about 7 feet tall. It's all hand cast bronze and hand painted with a special patina. It's probably one of the most unique pieces we've ever done. It's certainly an attention getter. This bronze statue really represents the unlimited possibilities this metal has. You can create any kind of animal, person, or object in any size and it will last forever!

Top Ten Reasons to Buy a Bronze Sculpture, Statue, or Fountain

10. Limited Production

During the process of these pieces being made the mould has to be broken, this means that no two pieces are exactly alike. And even though they are similar, styles change so pieces regularly stop being reproduced meaning they are usually fairly rare pieces to own.

9. Unique Way to Add Beauty to a Location

Everyone wants to have a beautiful landscape; be it for a home, business, or public park or courtyard. A bronze sculpture, statue, or fountain is a great way to add beauty and elegance to any landscape, garden, or park. Not only does a bronze get attention, it also adds a bit of tranquility that people are just drawn to.

8. Inherent Natural Beauty

Bronze Sculpture has a natural beauty that is unmatched. Bronze sculpture has been around since ancient times and it still holds our fascination as much now as it did then. Seeing a beautiful work of bronze in a park, garden, or landscape inspires people and the imagination. It has become the gold standard for immortalizing and romanticizing the human experience.

7. Bronze has Historical Significance

The advent of bronze in the 3rd millennia BC brought about a huge advancement in metalworking and brought humanity into a more modern era. When you purchase a piece of bronze art, statue or a fountain you are instantly connected to those early beginnings and help to continue the legacy of this magnificent metal alloy.

6. Versatility of Use

Like the ancient cultures that discovered it, our uses for bronze are infinite. Bronze is mainly known for its use as an artistic medium but it's also used for many other things. Architectural elements, boat parts and propellers, automobile elements, musical instruments, and tools are just a few examples of the immense versatility of the bronze alloy. It has been used during every major advancement mankind has had and will continue to do so long into the future.

5. Monumental Sculpture is Iconic

Adding a monumental statue or sculpture to the front of a building instantly makes that location memorable and iconic. A large bronze trumps a large sign every day of the week. People are conditioned to block out signs because there are so many of them. However, a monumental sculpture or statue will always garner attention. This is due to the unique nature of a bronze and because people always remember seeing something out of the ordinary.

4. Bronze has Intrinsic Value

Unlike other materials used for fountains and sculptures, bronze has an inherent value due to the value of the metal contents. Bronze is mostly made of copper which is a commodity that continues to grow in value. So, by getting a piece now, it's value will only increase over time as the metal prices rise. Also, many pieces are very limited production so they will increase in value over time because of their rarity.

3. Owning Bronze is a Status Symbol

Since bronze has intrinsic value due to the metal and the limited production of many of the pieces created, it's often something that not everyone can afford. By purchasing a piece of bronze art or fountain you're telling the world that you've succeeded in life and you're rewarding yourself for all your hard work. A bronze sculpture not only enhances a landscape, it can enhance your standing in the community.

2. Virtually Maintenance Free

Once you've purchased your bronze statue or fountain you've done most of the work. You can put it in place as is or have it professionally installed for added security and stability. And really, that's it. Once in place there's really nothing else to do but enjoy your piece. It will "age" over time and get that statue of liberty look, but it may take 20 or 30 years for it to happen. If you don't want that to happen there are a couple simple solutions to help protect your bronze piece from the elements.

1. It Lasts Forever!

That's right, it really does last forever. Pieces sitting at the bottom of the Mediterranean sea since the Roman and Greek empires are still be pulled up today looking as good as ever. This is due to Bronze's very high resistance to salt water and the elements. So, when you buy a piece of bronze, be it a statue, sculpture, fountain, or fine work of art, you know it will be an heirloom for your family enjoy for many many years to come.