So how are antique bronze statues made? Initially, they were made as completely solid bronze structure. It wasnt until later that hollow casting was invented, and ever since then, they have been creating using the casting method. First, a model is created of wax, and it is an exact copy of what the final antique bronze statue will look like, down to every little detail and carving. Over three more stages, a mold is created. A thin layer of china clay is mixed with water, and is then applied over the wax model using a paintbrush. For two whole days it is allowed to dry, and this process is repeated twice! After that, a mixture is applied over the model at a thickness of about 2 cm. A few holes are made at the bottom of the mold once all of the paste is dry. It is through these holes that the bronze will later be poured. Until then, thin wax rods are inserted into them.
After that, a mixture of rice husk, sand and clay is applied and allowed to try, and the mold with the openings facing downwards is put into an oven. The actual bronze that is to become the antique bronze statue is also placed into the oven to be melted, which happens at about 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. During firing, the wax plugs melt, the clay hardens and the bronze melts and then is poured into the holes. It then cools for two days before the mold is chipped away, leaving nothing but the antique bronze statue to be polished and detailed.