Collection: Antique Sculptures

What to Look For When Buying

Identify the material first, because everything else follows from it. Marble is cold, heavy and shows fine crystalline structure and natural veining that runs through the form rather than across its surface. Alabaster is noticeably softer, warmer to the touch and translucent at thin edges, and it is easily confused with marble by anyone who has not handled both. Plaster and composition casts, often finished to imitate stone or bronze, are far lighter and reveal themselves at chips and at the base. Terracotta shows its fired clay body wherever the surface is broken. Carved timber should show the grain working with the form and the shrinkage and movement of age.

Then assess the making and the condition. Carved stone shows tool evidence, and traces of rasp, chisel and drill in recesses are what distinguish carving from casting. Look closely at the extremities, meaning fingers, noses, drapery edges and any projecting element, since these are what break and what get replaced, and repairs in marble and alabaster are frequently disguised with tinted fill that becomes visible under ultraviolet light or in raking light. Check the base, which is often a later addition and sometimes not original to the figure at all. For bronze sculpture, the questions of casting method, foundry marks, patina and later casts apply in full, and the guidance on our bronze collection page covers those in detail. We document material, condition and known restoration in every listing.

Caring for Your Piece

Position and mounting matter more here than anywhere else in the collection, because sculpture falls. Place works on a stable, level surface rated for the weight, away from thoroughfares, doors and anything that vibrates, and consider a discreet museum wax or a purpose made mount for anything top heavy. Lift from the heaviest solid mass, using both hands beneath the work, and never by a head, arm, drapery edge or other projection.

Handle stone with clean dry hands or gloves, since skin oils penetrate marble and alabaster and leave marks that darken permanently over time. Dust with a soft dry brush rather than a cloth, which catches on carved detail. Never use water on alabaster, plaster or terracotta, all of which absorb it, and never use any acidic or general household cleaner on marble, where even mild acid etches the polished surface irreversibly. Keep stone and plaster away from damp, since salts drawn through the material cause the surface to crumble in a process known as sugaring, which cannot be reversed. Carved timber follows the same rules as antique furniture: stable conditions, no direct sun, and occasional light waxing rather than any spray product. Leave all repairs and cleaning beyond dusting to a conservator working in the specific material.