Spelter Sculpture French Warrior (ca. 1880)

Hello everybody!

A couple of months ago I bought this French spelter statue/sculpture.
Now I have found it, on a website where it's been sold. Without stating any prices.
I have mailed the website, but they don't want to tell me what price they sold for.
I'm wondering what it would be worth. Myself, I paid €100,00 for it.

Link #1-
http://www.antiques-atlas.com/lvsdecorativearts/browse.php?code=as304a103

I also found this sculpture converted into a lamp:

Link #2-
http://www.antiques-atlas.com/lvsdecorativearts/browse.php?code=as304a003

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Item: Spelter Sculpture/Statue of a French Warrior.
Age: Ca. 1880-1890.
Origin: France.
Material: Spelter.
Signed: NO.

Height: 77 cm/ 30.31 inch.
Width: 20 cm/ 7.87 inch.
Depth: 20 cm/ 7.87 inch.
Weight: 6 KG.
______________________________

Overal condition is very good.
Unfortunately the sword's handle/hilt is broken on left and right side.
1 piece I found in the box, when I received it, and the other one already had to be off
when I bought it online. Unfortunately the seller didn't tell me that.

This sculpture is very nice detailled, and I would like to restore the sword.
Is there anybody who can tell me how to this? I think just glue it is not going to work.

Thank you very much!
R.Antonis

 

nice soldier....great definition....
this is not a site for valuation....but maybe some members could point you in the proper direction...

 

Let's hope so

 

Common molds, Spelter, no signature. 100 sounds about right.

 

Personal opinion? Nicely done, better designed and worked than the run of the mill spelter stuff I have seen (and own...................)

 

Spelter is damn near unrepairable. It forms a crystalline fracture surface that rapidly oxidises. Drilling into the fracture surfaces to insert a pin that can join the pieces, the pin epoxy glued in the freshly drilled holes gives mechanical strength and holds the broken part in place. The actual crack area may be glued and surface coloured to match the body. Just glue is never strong enough and the low melting point of spelter makes most home soldering ineffective and prone to melt or rapidly oxidise the area heated. The success of such methods would vary a lot with the ability of the restorer.


It is possible that precisely controlled temperature soldering under inert gas may work, but it would require a lot of experimentation. I know of no published work on this, it is the sort of trade secret resiorers keep to themselves.

The figures are also commonly seen as companion pieces to a clock of the period forming what is called a clock garniture.

 

Yes it is indeed ! Too bad it has damage though.

 

Thank you very much for your explanation. I kind of knew it would be hard to restore it, but with the tools I have I'm not sure I can do this myself. Maybe I should just leave it in the state it is, and try to sell it. To have it restored professionally I think it's going be too expensive.

 

Thank you!

 

Dragon on his chest plate - could be St. George.