bronze

Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 Watch In Bronze

Seeing the new Panerai watches for 2011 might have you doing a double take. The reason being that you are looking to see exactly what is new. Panerai's new releases are extremely in line with the current collection in terms of looks and features - making it hard to for all but dedicated experts to see what is new. While not a new watch in the grands scheme of things, the most talked about new Panerai is the PAM00382, a Luminor Submersible model in a bronze case.

The 47mm wide watch contains Panerai's newer in-house made P.9000 automatic movmeent that has a 3 day power reserve. The full name of the watch is the quite long, "Panerai Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days Automatic Bronzo." That little "bronzo" part always makes chuckle. Why did Panerai use bronze for the case? Not really sure. The brand's vintage style pieces do very well, and most any watch does in bronze looks vintage. Reason enough? Bronze is a strong metal that is resistant to corrosion, but does develop a patina over time that changes the look of the metal a bit. It also doesn't polish very evenly, giving it an antique or rough feel to it. Those who love an evenly polished steel case will not necessarily appreciate this look. Panerai collector's will likely love it, and the look of bronze does match the Sub's look nicely. The diving watch has a rotating diver's bezel and is water resistant to 300 meters.

Attached to the watch is a "aged" leather strap, but Panerai also gives you a rubber strap. The PAM00382 will be part of a limited edition. Panerai will make just 1000 pieces of this model and will likely debut additional bronze watches in the near future is this diver is a sucess.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: 2011, bronze, bronzo, luminor submersible, Panerai, watch

Dave Venell's Sculptures Bring the Lost Wax Method to Motorcars

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art

Dave Venell taught himself to cast bronze using the lost wax method six years ago, starting off with with historically accurate military figures that went all the way back to the Greek hoplite sentries of antiquity. He recently brought his work into the last millennium, shaping a collection of vintage cars that includes a 1958 Ferrari Testa Rossa, a 1955 Mercedes 300 SLR and a 1954 Jaguar D-Type.

In contrast to the realistic representations of military figures the vintage cars are more Dali than Donatello. The historical accuracy, however, has carried over, with each model being based on a specific car – the D-Type, for instance, is a copy of chassis #OKV2. Erupting from their bases into every dimension, they're big, heavy, and spendy: a single work starts at about $11,000, and that's before you start adding options like lacquer. That means Dave Venell is the name you'll need to remember when you meet "the man who has it all..."

Gallery: Venell 1958 Ferrari Testa Rossa

Gallery: Venell 1955 Mercedes 300 SLR

Gallery: Venell 1954 D-Type Jaguar

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Tags: bronze, dave venell, sculpture

Unexpected Treasures: African Figure

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art

or our first Luxist Unexpected Treasures column we got hit with a bit of a puzzler. Lynne from Songs of Now, an art and curio shop in Santa Fe, New Mexico sent us an image of the little guy shown at right. She reports that they found the fellow, who sits just under 8 inches tall, at an estate sale. The previous owner told them that he picked it up during his travels in Africa.

We consulted a couple of experts. Andrew Berz, of Sujaro Gallery in San Francisco tells us that indeed the piece resembles decorative bronze and brass standing figures that he has seen on occasions in the market in both Bamako, Mali and in Accra, Ghana. He tells Luxist that the pieces are not identifiable with one tribe and are not authentic pieces made for use in a tribal context.

Another expert, Tom Slater of Heritage Auctions says that the African figure market is still a new market and that while a few contemporary African artists have developed reputations and followings, both in Africa and in the West, most is by anonymous artists and therefore the value is generally whatever the eye of the beholder dictates. Slater says that if the work was by an identified hand whose work has an established market it would have a greater value.

He says this figure "does not appear to fit in any traditional tribal style, and doesn't seem like a particularly distinguished sculpture." His estimate is that the small figure would probably retail in a shop or gallery anywhere from a couple of hundred dollars to perhaps somewhat over $1,000, depending on size and the location and price points of the shop.

To submit your own Unexpected Treasure, see the instructions here.

Tags: african art, bronze, tribal art, unexpected treasures

Prefab Architecture Firm Gets Into Jewelry Making

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

I've swooned over prefab houses by Marmol Radziner many times. The eco-friendly design firm has created minimalist homes that use recycled steel frames, solar panels and wood flooring from trees that are grown and harvested in a way that protects forests for the long term. Now Marmol Radziner has translated that same aesthetic into jewelry. The M + R Jewelry line is made by master craftsmen who use fabrication surplus from building houses and furniture to individually produce and finish each piece from architectural bronze. The sturdy unisex cuffs and rings have a patina which will wear over time in response to the wearer.The M+R Jewelry collection can be found at Arp in Los Angeles and sells for $80 to $250.

[via UnBeige]

Tags: bronze, eoc-friendly, jewelry, marmol radziner

How Much is a Gold Medal Really Worth?

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

The 2010 Winter Olympics are over, with the final United States medal count coming in at 9 Gold, 15 Silver, and 13 Bronze. That's a total of 37 medals making their way back here to the States in the hands of our worthy athletes, and although the sentimental value is truly immeasurable one can't help but wonder: just how much are those medals actually worth?

Here's how it breaks down: a gold medal is made of 550 grams of silver covered with 6 grams of gold, a silver medal is made of 41 grams of copper and 509 grams of silver, and a bronze medal is made of a mix of mostly copper with some tin and zinc. This means that in today's market a gold medal is worth approx $494, a silver medal $260, and a bronze medal just $3.

Interesting to know (I thought the gold medal would be worth more).

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Tags: 2010 winter olympics, 2010WinterOlympics, bronze, gold, gold medal, GoldMedal, medals, olympics, silver

Christian Louboutin Lolita Mirror Shoulder Bag, Handbag of the Day

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Handbags

The Christian Louboutin Lolita Mirror Shoulder Bag is a shiny, special bag for a to be seen.

At first, it's hard to tell from the photo what size a bag like this would be. It's actually rather large, at 19"W X 14"H X 4"D, so take note, this is an exceptional attention-grabber. We're not sure why Louboutin decided to call this the "Lolita" bag; if we saw a child with this bag, we'd roll our eyes. It would require a woman of extraordinary style to carry this with class.

In case you think you may be that woman, here are some additional details: Those are double 7" drop goldtone chain straps, and the bag is lined with red satin and includes a small mini-wallet in the same copper-mirror-effect material. While some might attempt to wear this with a casual outfit to downplay its extravagance, we think that might be a mistake. This is a completely fabulous bag, and we'd like to see it with a completely fabulous ensemble (or even a power suit?) on a completely fabulous person. A mirror-effect like this can sometimes look cheap, but trust us, it doesn't when Louboutin does it.

The Christian Louboutin Lolita Mirror Shoulder Bag is available from Saks Fifth Avenue for $995.00.

Tags: bronze, christian louboutin, ChristianLouboutin, copper, handbag of the day, HandbagOfTheDay, mirror, shoulder bag, ShoulderBag

Giacometti's Cat Could Fetch Millions

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art

The big spring art sales in New York are still a couple of months away but the stories related to big lots are starting to appear. Fans of the spare bronzes of Alberto Giacometti may want to save their pennies for the stripped down kitty shown above. Alberto Giacometti's Le Chat is one of eight bronze cats cast in 1951. It will be auctioned by Sotheby's on May 5.

The NY Times reports that a Giacometti cat sculpture hasn't been offered at public auction in over 30 years. The last one sold for $130,000 at Sotheby's in New York in 1975. Sotheby's estimates that its cat, which has been in the hands of a European collector since the 1960s, could bring $16 million to $22 million.

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Tags: art, bronze, giacometti, sculpture

Winning Bid On Yves Saint Laurent's Bronzes Was A Protest Not A Promise of Payment

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions

Last week's Yves Saint Laurent art sale generated world record revenue but they may have to take one sale off the books. The much-disputed Qing bronzes which were part of the auction's final sale day were bought by Cai Mingchao, who says that although he placed the winning bid for the two bronze statues he does not intend to pay for them. The statues, one with the head of a rat and one with the head of a rabbit sold for €15,745,000 each. The National Treasures Fund, a group backed by the Chinese Ministry of Culture which seeks to buy Chinese art and antiquities from around the world and bring them home announced Cai Mingchao's identity at a news conference. He is an adviser to the National Treasures Fund and has said that he did his duty as a Chinese citizen by bidding for the pieces.

The Qing bronzes had been severed from a water clock by British and French troops from the Summer Palace in 1860 and many Chinese people saw the bronzes as stolen goods up for sale even though the bronze heads have been bought and sold multiple times since then. The Chinese government protested the sale but the French government ruled that the sale could go forward. According to an article on Forbes Pierre Berge had said he would give back the sculptures for free if Tibet is made free, an offer which did not sit well with the Chinese government.

Bloomberg quotes Christie's Hong Kong-based spokeswoman Kate Malin as saying that the auction house "would work with the buyer and vendor to come up with a solution." Christie's could sue Cai Mingchao to get the money but he is adamant that he will not be paying.

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Tags: auction, bronze, china, pierre berge, PierreBerge, qing, qing dynasty, QingDynasty, yves saint laurent, YvesSaintLaurent

Little Dancer's Big Price

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art

A bronze sculpture of a young dancer proved that the art market isn't quite dead yet. British millionaire Sir John Madejski put his Degas dancer up for sale at Sotheby's Impressionist art auction on February 3. The bronze sculpture, Petite danseuse de quatorze ans, is one of only a few remaining in private hands and was estimated at £9 – 12 million. Instead it brought in £13.3 million pounds ($19.2 million) over £8 million more than he paid for it back in 2004.The three-foot-high sculpture of a dancer was one of an edition of 28 bronze casts made in 1922 after the artist's death in 1917. The buyer was an anonymous Asian collector. The sculpture was the top lot in Sotheby's London sale of Impressionist and modern art where 76 percent of the 29 lots found buyers. The sale brought in £32.6 million versus a low estimate of £40.6 million. Compare that with last year, where the February Impressionist and modern art sale at Sotheby's brought in £117 million.

[Thanks, Lana]

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Tags: auction, bronze, dancer, degas

Little Dancer Seeks Big Price

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Art

British millionaire Sir John Madejski is sending his Tiny Dancer to the auction block at Sotheby's Impressionist art auction on February 3. The bronze sculpture from Degas, Petite danseuse de quatorze ans, is one of Degas's most famous and popular works. The bronze cast is one of only a few remaining in private hands. It is estimated at £9 – 12 million. Sir John Madejski is one of Britain's leading arts philanthropists and the sculpture was on display at the Royal Academy in London since 2004 when he bought this statue for £5 million at Sotheby's in London. Another version sold in 1999 for $12.4 million which is highest price paid for a Degas sculpture.

[via Wealth Bulletin]

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Tags: bronze, degas, impressionist, sculpture, sothebys

Cast Your Memories in Precious Metal

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

Whether you're looking to preserve the memory of your new baby's tiny foot or your favorite pet's scruffy paw, Wrightson & Platt can help you lock those precious moments and keep them forever in the form of sculpture or jewelry. They use a fast setting jelly to take a cast of the desired body part (they can capture everything from a wiggly baby's fingers to a woman's pregnant belly) and then put that cast through what can only be described as a fascinating process to create the final product in your choice of materials including bronze, glass, platinum, and sterling silver. Prices start, for the smallest pieces like pins and cufflinks, at about £1200 and go up from there.

Via Lussorian

Gallery: Wrightson & Platt Memory Casts

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Tags: babies, baby, bronze, mementos, memories, sculpture, sculptures, sterling silver, SterlingSilver

Darth Vader Bronze Statue For Serious Star Wars Fans

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art

For true Star Wars fans with deep pockets there is this item. The bronze Darth Vader statue stands four feet tall and weighs over 150 lbs. There are just 30 numbered statues worldwide. Each one has an individualized patina that makes them unique. The statue by Lawrence Noble was modeled after Darth Vader as he appears in The Empire Strikes Back but also as a statue of Lord Vader might appear on the planet of Coruscant. Each piece was forged and assembled at a foundry close to Lucasfilm's Presidio campus and sells for $18,000.

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Tags: bronze, darth vader, DarthVader, star wars, StarWars, statue

Barack in Bronze

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art

Artist Jonas Perkins has created a line of silver jewelry and sculpture for those supporting Barack Obama. The line features earrings, pendants and a lapel pin featuring the slogans "Yes We Can" and "Change You Can Count On" with the Obama logo. The pieces range from $30 to $78. The really pricey item is the Barack Obama bronze bust which Perkins, a sculptor from Fredericksburg, Texas, has created. The limited edition piece titled "Yes We Can" sells for $2,500.

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Tags: art, barack obama, BarackObama, bronze, election, jewelry, sculpture

Controversial Bronze Horse Expected to Go For $7.7 Million at Auction

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions

The highlight of the upcoming 4 day Sotheby's auction in Hong Kong, scheduled to start on Oct 6th, will be a controversial bronze Qing Dynasty Horse head. It's one of a 12 zodiac animal set and was looted from the imperial summer palace in China back in 1860. The Chinese believe it should be returned to the Chinese goverment because it's stolen property, but Sothebys has no intention of giving it to anybody but the auction winner -- and the law is on their side. It's expected to go for HK80 million ($7.7 million).

All's fair in love and war, but it's too bad it's been separated from the other 11 zodiac animals.

Via BornRich

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Tags: auction, bronze, china, chinese, history, hong kong, HongKong, horse, Qing Dynasty Horse Head, QingDynastyHorseHead, sothebys, zodiac

Parthenon Table

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

I was a classics major as an undergrad so I am a sucker for anything with a Greek look. White Webb takes the old standards and then reinvents them with a touch of wit. They put an innovative spin on the architectural standard of excellence, the Parthenon, by turning it into a coffee table. The low table is made using the "lost wax" method of hand-cast bronze sits on an ebonized plinth with a glass top. White Webb's other looks, especially their black and white intaglio collection are equally inspired.

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Tags: bronze, decor, furniture, parthenon, table