The morning call., 1893-10-14

the United States for its equipment, and
Is ready TO com pete with the old-established
Eastern firms in all branches of statuaTy
casting.
A visit 10 the foundry, at 126 and 128
Main street. yesterday, to view the CON-
pleted panel. proved 10 be full OF Interest.
The affahIe proprietoTs. MeSsrs Whyte
and De Rome, resolved themselves into an
entertainment committee and showed their
yisitur over their establishment from the
casting TO the finishing room, and impaired
TO him much valuable information on the
subject of casting in general and bronze
statUsry casting in particular.
To one with a lively Imagination the
place is full of horrors, as it seems
eruesomely like very callousiy managed
disseeting-rOOm.
In the finishing department the head and
shoulders OF Spanish cavalier lie sub
merged in tank Of GnpleasiBg looking
liquid. Two gigantic legs stand near at
hand. apparently unaware Of the fact that
no b0dy accompanies them. One stum-
bles over a woma1's arm lying on the
floor, and the woman to whom is appar-
entity belongs lies. divided at the waist
line, under the hands of grim, unsmiling
man with a collection Of murderOus-look-
ing implements. An Indians head reposes
in one corner; hands aud feet and pieces
Of drapery are scattered about promIscu-
La the finishing-room all these fragments
Of humanity are Of a bronze cOior which
lessons their ghastliness somewhat. but
here the same reckless disregard of human
entities prevails, as all the scattered p0r-
tions Of the human form divine" are of a
deathiy and frozen whiteness.
These are the plaster casts" said Mr..
de Rome. eheerfuily explanatory. First
the sculptor models his statue in clay.
then the plaster cast is made, and from
that we make the mold in which the bronze
Is cast. The reason that We have them in
pieces is 10 make il more convenient for
the casters. Very large figures. like this
California, are cast in several portions
and then put together with pins The size
of nv thumb, which pins are totally in
visible after the completion of the work.
Extended arms or legs or seini-detached
ornaments are managed in the same way
we cast them separately and pin them ia
afterward."
In the cssting-room the whole process of
casting was seen. The bust of Mr. Miller
was occupying the attention OF one work
man. who was making mold thereof in
the French molding sand. which has TO be
imported for ihls purpose. The plaster
bust is first covered with coat of shellac
TO render its surface noD-adhesive aud
admit Of the sand-mold being readily re-
moved therefrom. Then IL is laid prone
on a tdUio dUu EdUu Is lGLlDeu over IL Sec
tion by section. Gentle, persistent blows
change the sand into semi-solid
substance capable of being handled and
retaining its shape perfectly with the i'm
press of the artists handiwork upon which
it has been imposed. The mold formed by
putting together these pieces of solidiied
sand Is then covered with preparation If
black lead and Is ready for the liquid
bronze. The utmost care is necessary in
every department of this work, but espe-
eially 10 the casting. for the least bit of air
makes a ruinous bubble; even a draught
of air coming upon the bronze before it Is
cold will warp and ruin it beyond redemp-
ton. A casting just as il is taken from the
mold is not pleasing object. An arm,
tumbed out unceremoniously from its
sandy bed by workman as the exploring
party passed by, looked more like mis-
shapen, partly boiled Holsters claw than
anything else. There were warts and
wens upon it, and divers extraneous and
unornamentai appendages. but Dir. Whyte
declared that il was IAN excellent cast"
"All those extras come off," he said. 1--WE
call those" pointing to some especially
noticeable uglinesses. gates. and they
are hollows left in the mold necessary 10
!. allow the bronze TO run smoothly. That
arm will be a beauty when It's finished
up"
Looking at the almost completed figure
of California one could well believe this,
for her arms are beauties" both of them.
California herself is twelve feet high and,
with her accompanying bear. weighs over
7000ponnds. Sheis all ready for broDzlng-
the last process to which she will be
obliged to submit before emerging from
the foundry, and a more noble and gra.
cious figure than Is hers 1t would be hard to
find.
The "bronzing," IL might be well to ex.
plain, con slsts In applying to the other.
wise COMPLETED cast various acids to make
1t OF uniform color and throw it out in
proper relief. As il comes from the mold
the cast is streaked. pinkish in places and
far from lovely. but the bronzing change.
all this and makes the statue what VIZ
see it.
The wreaths Of fruit aud flowers which