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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: antiquepete on April 24, 2012, 04:22:07 AM

Title: info required on this statuette
Post by: antiquepete on April 24, 2012, 04:22:07 AM
Can anyone give me any info. on this little statuette.

There is French writing around the barometer - which may not

be original - there may have been a clock face there.
Title: Re: info required on this statuette
Post by: cogar on April 24, 2012, 05:22:49 AM
Is that cast metal (iron) with a bronze figureine?
Title: Re: info required on this statuette
Post by: antiquepete on April 25, 2012, 02:47:48 AM
Sorry it took so long to get back - I am new at this site & had a few problems finding how to reply.

But we are here now - so - Yes I beleive it is cast metal - possibly bronze.
Title: Re: info required on this statuette
Post by: mart on April 25, 2012, 07:25:05 AM
Can you get a closeup of the words??
Title: Re: info required on this statuette
Post by: antiquepete on April 25, 2012, 07:00:48 PM
The item is at my brothers house - I shall go there at the weekend & take
a heap more photos including close up of the wording on the barometer & post here -
watch this space. Thanks for the replies so far.
Title: Re: info required on this statuette
Post by: antiquepete on April 25, 2012, 07:22:54 PM
Just found that if you double click on the picture itself - it opens up as a full screen image
then you can see quite clearly the face of the barometer.
Just spoke with my bro, who tells me there are three dots on the figurine & three dots on
the arch - as if to line up each piece.
The metal is not bronze - he cant think of the name of it just yet, but will find out for the weekend.
So again - watch this space.
Thanks
Title: Re: info required on this statuette
Post by: mart on April 25, 2012, 07:38:35 PM
Many items including clock mounts are made of slag or pot metal/white metal then finished to appear different !! Was quite common on figural clocks, barometers ect !!
Title: Re: info required on this statuette
Post by: KC on April 26, 2012, 11:44:22 AM
Very interesting piece...it has asian and modern elements to the frame itself.  THe wording is in French but appears newer than framing (which appears "aged".)

This is one of those that I would recommend a hands on by someone knowledgeable. 

The late 1800's French barometers were very popular and still are...but this one just doesn't fit somehow.......The slag metal was used often, and unusally the items were more ornate in design.
Title: Re: info required on this statuette
Post by: mart on April 26, 2012, 03:06:44 PM
Translation on the words,, Rain Storm or Wind "tempete pluie du vent" Variable temps, very dry "tres-sec" !!
Title: Re: info required on this statuette
Post by: antiquepete on April 28, 2012, 11:56:04 PM
Thanks for answers so far - as I mentioned in an earlier post I now have some more info.
The metal is PSELTER - the figurine is attached to the main frame by a screw underneath,
there is a metal plate on the "back" held by two small screws.
Hope this helps.
Thanks
Title: Re: info required on this statuette
Post by: mart on April 29, 2012, 02:30:20 PM
Spelter is the same as pot metal or slag, some call it white metal because it normally has a high tin content !!
Title: Re: info required on this statuette
Post by: antiquepete on April 29, 2012, 11:36:40 PM
Thanks Mart -I didnt kow Pselter is the same as pig iron - I am learning as we go.
Title: Re: info required on this statuette
Post by: mart on April 30, 2012, 08:16:32 AM
Well the terms are used interchangably even though there is a difference in the blend of metals its kind of like splitting hairs !! Spelter is a combination of lead and zinc mostly, others can contain almost anything with a high degree of tin !! But the terms are used for most things that are like your barometer frame,, any blend of inexpensive metals that are not iron, gold, bronze ect !! So if something is made out of any of those terms you know what it is not,,not necessarily what it is !! Which could be anything !!
Title: Re: info required on this statuette
Post by: regularjoe2 on April 30, 2012, 01:41:34 PM
It's always a quick method , via using a magnet , to check for ferrous metals , which spelter is not , antiquepete .