Issues with bronze and felt/leather

[sculptorsam]

After reading a book about the artist H.C. Westermann, I became intrigued with the idea of making small boxes that serve not only as places to store small sculptures but that become integral parts of the works themselves (perhaps with title, signature, year stamped or etched into the surface or under the lid). But then the thought occurred to me, Is there any risk of reaction/bleeding of liner clothes/felts/suede with the bronze sculpture? Perhaps the dyes used for the felt could bleed onto the surface over time. Anybody by chance have any experience with this?

[fritchie]

Sam - No experience, but I would expect problems of this sort to be rare, at least with waxed bronze. I take it what you have in mind is a box in which the sculpture will lie in direct contact with the liner at some points.

Is it possible for the box and sculpture to contact only at the base? That should remove any problem. If not, and if the sculpture is waxed, the reverse might occur - wax from the sculpture might transfer to the liner over time.

[sculptorsam]

That's a good point about the wax protecting the works. Here's a pic of one of Westermann's works, Big Leaguer. The liner here is calf-skin.

I just love being able to kick ideas like this around on the forum. I think it can help take care of blind-spots.

[warren01]

Sam, on another forum there was a discussion of the dyes and tanning process of leather affecting sterling silver. Summary is that the tanning process if certain chemicals are used it would make the sterling silver tarnish rapidly. You might want to check out the thread at the Ganoksin site and see if you pick up anything further. On bronze, I have some old belt buckles around and they still look okay, about the best I can help.

warren

[oddist]

Cases for drafting tools usually were lined with green felt and the tools either nickle or chrome plated. The only corrosion I ever saw was due humidity and hand salts.

You might try contacting Superior Felt (http://www.superiorfelt.com/index.htm) for technical info.

Interesting problem...

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:o Editing a few hours later here...It just dawned on me that many belt buckles are made of brass or bronze and the straps, of course, are made of leather. No corrosion problems there I don't think.

[warren01]

Sam,

Here is an article about Pacific cloth

http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive/200405/msg00154.htm

It is being used in boxes by silversmiths to prevent sterling silver from tarnishing.

There maybe a like product that you could line your boxes for bronze. Maybe the Atlantic cloth would work :p

warren

[fritchie]

Editing a few hours later here...It just dawned on me that many belt buckles are made of brass or bronze and the straps, of course, are made of leather. No corrosion problems there I don't think.

Oddist - I think belt buckles are coated with some sort of laquer, which would retard corrosion. Of course, sculpture could be also ...

[sculptorsam]

Great links, guys. Hopefully I'll have a prototype in a month or so.

[rderr.com]

Sam

I've been doin' presentation boxes for years for the small bone and wood structures. Here is the bronze copy of Spirit Mirror in its box. It is lined with the unbleached cotton used by quilt makers to line their quilts. I've never seen the bronze oxidate or change color any faster for being in contact with the material.

RD

[JAZ]

Sam,
Here's a link to someone you could ask: http://www.bostonsculptors.com/haines.html
Peter haines is the guy who did the big bronze abstracted hand right next to yours at the DeCordova. The Boston Sculptors is a group of sculptors who have had a gallery for years. a couple of years ago they put out a boxed edition of one tiny sculpture from each of the member artists and sold them in a boxed set. (Every year they do a group thing like that. This year it was do-it-yourself paper sculpture kits.) I saw it, but of course wasn't able to buy one, and I don't remember what sort of lining there was, but most if not all of the sculptures were bronze.
Good luck.
JAZ