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As art bronze sculptures have become more popular and the art market for original bronzes continues to set records. Many foundries have gone into the business of casting forgeries or reproductions. Often these sculptures are taken directly from finished bronzes. Normally these inexpensive copies are slightly smaller and more generalized than the original. They lack fine details and crisp accentuation. To the experienced eye, they come across as lifeless, dead and lack the warmth and crisp details of an original. Often in the trade they are referred to as "Chocolate Bunnies". Moreover, as strange as it might sound, these bronzes do not have the right feel. The surface of a fine, original bronze is velvety and warm to the touch, and its rhythmic and sometimes sensuous curves are irresistible to the fingertips.
Its these copies that are most confusing to the new or inexperienced art collector. There are basically two types of copies on the market today. Those that are produced by reputable foundries, and those which are not. Reputable foundries advertise there bronze as "restrucks" or copies of an original bronze model. They readily identify on the casting there foundry stamp and the model of the casting. non reputable foundries either do not identify or mark them with forged original foundry stamps or artist signatures. They then mislead the consumer as advertising them as originals.
Most experts, experienced dealers and auction houses easily recognize and advertise these reproductions for what they are. However there are many that have made a fortune passing on extremely fine forgeries as originals.
In 2002 a French collector and dealer was busted in a ring that netted him nearly $60 million in sales from faking nearly 4000 originals from popular 19th and 20th century artist. Guy Hain, the forger, simply made recasts from many originals. He then applied signatures and foundry marks from the time period as to when they were originally cast. Through his connections in the art world he consigned them to auction houses and private dealers as originals. Only about 1/3 of the forgeries sold by Hain have been confiscated. The rest are in collections and in dealers inventory waiting to be sold again in the future.
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Now more than ever a potential bronze sculpture purchaser should deal only with a reputable dealer or collector in a transaction. They should also be able to produce a linage or history of the piece. Whether it be past auction sales record of the sculpture or even family or insurance records to prove the authenticity. If authentication papers can not be produced it is best to either pass on the sculpture or value the piece considerably less than known examples.
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