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Bronze Hare Sculpture: Listening Hare by Sue Maclaurin

Bronze Hare Sculpture: Listening Hare by Sue Maclaurin

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Including VAT: $302.06 Excluding VAT: $251.72

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8 Review(s) | Add Your Review

12 October 2024: This edition has now sold out.

We have sold all 250 castings of this piece, so the edition has now been closed and no more castings will be made.

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Size in cm: 7w x 10h x 4d cm
Size in inches: 2¾"w x 4"h x 2"d
Weight: 540g / 1lb 3oz

Edition: 250
Material: Foundry Cast Bronze

This solid bronze sculpture of a Sue Maclaurin Listening Hare is a foundry casting of her original sculpture and took two weeks to create.

This piece cast by hand in a British foundry in an edition of just 250 castings.

It is presented in a beautiful and very high quality hand made gift box, created by our box maker in the Midlands and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.

The certificate was individually printed by hand from an original copper plate engraving in Hampshire, before being signed by the artist and numbered with the number of this casting. It is your guarantee that this is an original foundry casting of the sculptor’s work that she has personally approved.

This bronze casting is a perfect recreation of the artist’s original sculpture and bears the artist's signature as well as its own unique edition number. As every piece is cast by hand and then the mould destroyed, each one is unique and so will be very slightly different to the last.

This piece complements Sue Maclaurin’s bronze hares including Flying Hare II, Alert Hare II, Hare Washing Ear, Lying Hare, Rolling Hare, Running Hare, Moon Gazing Hare, Boxing Hares and Tumbling Hares.

Born in Colchester, Sue Maclaurin emigrated to Northern Rhodesia with her family, where a life-long passion for wildlife and horses began.

Her childhood was spent, when not at boarding school, roaming freely in the bush on horseback, revelling in the diversity of wildlife which still existed at that time.

Returning to England to study at Winchester School of Art, Sue graduated with a B.A (Hons.) in Fine Art and subsequently spent several years involved with Marwell Zoological Park, where she continued to study, paint and sculpt their wide variety of animals at very close quarters. While she was there, Sue was commissioned to create the art work and logo for Marwell Park’s advertising.

During these few years, Sue further explored and develop her interest in sculpting at Pinewood Studios as she was asked by Ray Harryhausen to assist him model making on various films including Clash of the Titans.

An opportunity then arose for Sue to return to Africa with her family, and the following four years were filled happily with the pursuit of varied projects including gold-mining frontier style, fish farming and dairy farming, while Sue continued to sculpt and paint for her own pleasure.

Whilst Africa and its wildlife were ‘utterly beautiful’, it unfortunately became too politically unstable, so Sue’s family once again returned home to England. Her wildlife sculpture was quickly accepted by galleries across the United Kingdom and quickly developed a loyal following of collectors.

A white house in the Wiltshire countryside is now home, with two Siamese cats, two horses, a thriving sculpture studio and a saddlery business that means Sue’s skills as a Master Saddle Maker command a constant waiting list. Sue continues to sculpt both the wildlife that surrounds her home daily as well as other traditional animals such as pigs and thoroughly enjoys hearing stories of the joy that the bronze castings of her pieces bring to collectors.

Creation of your bronze sculpture

Every time we cast a piece, a new mould is created and subsequently destroyed. This means that every single piece of sculpture bought from us is entirely hand made and utterly unique, which is why it is numbered by hand to tell you which casting of the edition you have bought.

1. Mould Making

A silicone rubber mould is made of the original art work. Absolutely every detail captured or missed by this mould will be reproduced in the bronze castings. Depending on the size of the mould, it may then be cut into sections for casting.

This is the master mould used to originate all castings of that piece. Each time that piece is ordered, we follow the following procedure:

2. Making the Wax Casting

Molten wax is poured into the rubber to create an exact wax duplicate of the original model.

3. Chasing the Wax

The wax is removed from the rubber mould any flaws are hand finished by a skilled craftsman.

4. Spruing

Wax rods and a wax pouring cup are carefully attached to the wax casting in just the right positions to allow bronze to be poured in any displaced air to escape. This means that no air bubbles are trapped inside the mould as they would be gaps in the finished bronze piece.

5. Investment

The wax model with attached rods is now covered in ceramic material which will form the mould for the final bronze pour. This is done by dipping the wax model carefully into investment liquid and then covering it in a fine powder before allowing it to cure (completely dry). The model is then dipped into investment liquid again and given a coating of a coarse ceramic powder. By following this procedure several times, a ceramic shell is built up around the wax model.

6. Burn-Out

The wax inside the ceramic shell is then placed in a kiln and fired. The shell bakes and the wax is melted (lost) from the shell. This creates a hollow ceramic shell mould and accounts for the term "Lost Wax" being applied to the process.

7. Casting

The ceramic mould is removed from the kiln and molten bronze is immediately poured into it, at 1200°C.

8. Break Out

Once the casting has been allowed to cool for several hours, the mould is carefully removed by hand from the bronze model inside.

9. Sandblasting

Any fragments of the ceramic shell are removed by sandblasting and the sculpture is carefully inspected at this point.

10. Assembly

All attached rods and cups (which are now bronze) are removed by hand. At this point, any segments of a large sculpture that has been cast in sections are welded together.

11.Chasing

All the weld marks and removed and rod marks are chased and re-detailed by hand. Any scars left by the rods are carefully blended to match the rest of the sculpture’s surface as intended by the artist.

12. Polishing

The bronze is hand polished in preparation for the patina.

13. Patination

The bronze is first heated before the chemical patina is applied by an artist. A patina can achieve many different colours or effects depending on the mix of chemicals used.

14. Waxing

Finally a wax coating is hand applied before the piece is polished to ensure a beautiful lustrous patina.

15. Numbering

Finally, the piece is numbered by hand. It is numbered as the casting number, followed by a slash and finally the edition size. For examples, 5/250 means that your piece was the fifth piece to be cast from the master mould out of 250 castings made. The piece also bears the signature of the artist. Sue Maclaurin pieces are marked either Sue Maclaurin, Sue Mac, or with her insignia of an S and small cat face.

Shipping is FREE everywhere in the world!

All orders are sent using a tracked, insured, express service.

All in stock items are dispatched the working day after we receive your order. Out of stock items will be dispatched on the date shown on the listing.

UK deliveries – next working day - FREE
UK deliveries are shipped by DPD Local, who will send a one hour window to your mobile or email on the morning of delivery so you don’t have to wait around for your parcel.

We use a next working day service as standard (NI, Highlands and Islands take two working days). If you choose and pay for a Saturday or Sunday delivery when you check out (and order before 6am on a Friday), your order will arrive with you the first Saturday or Sunday after you place your order. If you order after 6am on Friday, your order will arrive one weekend later.

If you are in a rush, or need any special arrangements, please call us on 01442 256290 and we will be delighted to help.

All parcels arrive in plain, unbranded brown cartons to help keep the contents a secret.

Deliveries outside the UK - FREE
Deliveries outside the UK are shipped by TNT, who will email your tracking information to you.

We use an express service that will be delivered on a weekday. Deliveries to Europe, the USA and Canada typically take 2 -3 working days, with other destinations taking 3 – 5 working days.

All parcels arrive in Nelson & Forbes branded shipping packaging when sent overseas.

For full details please see USA Shipping / International Shipping

Reviews

Customer Reviews 8 item(s)

Listening Hare

Overall Satisfaction

I adore these hares by Sue Maclaurin. I bought Reclining Hare for my partner, and we agree she has managed to capture the very essence of these lovely creatures in her pieces. I bought Listening Hare for my godson as a wedding gift (oh so subtle message for him there!) and which I know he will enjoy for many years to come. Review by Kate / (Posted on 02/11/2021)

LOVE THE HARES!

Overall Satisfaction

Absolutely LOVE these bronze Hares! They are really beautiful! We get so many compliments on them! Wonderful quality, quick shipping and GREAT customer service!I just ordered one for a gift and they were thrilled with their little hare! I will be ordering more!
Thank you Nelson & Forbes for making such beautiful sculptures!

Review by Louise / (Posted on 01/11/2021)

So delighted to have this charming bronze hare

Overall Satisfaction

Stunning portrayal of a hare Review by Kate / (Posted on 29/10/2020)

I'm delighted - again!

Overall Satisfaction

Hi Debbie,
Just to let you know, I've just taken delivery of my second hare and I'm delighted - again! The Listening Hare makes a perfect partner for my Alert Hare.
Very many thanks!
Review by J.H. / (Posted on 08/02/2019)

Listening hare

Overall Satisfaction

Love It. Beautifully sculpted. Good patina and weight. Review by Maggie / (Posted on 04/03/2018)

Thank you

Overall Satisfaction

I am delighted with my Hare! Thank you
Review by P.C. / (Posted on 02/02/2017)

Beautiful

Overall Satisfaction

I would like to thank you for the prompt service and for the beautiful “Listening Hare". This was ordered last Wednesday and arrived in New York on Monday. My sister is absolutely delighted with this lovely sculpture. A worthy celebration gift.
Thank you, Sue Maclaurin and to Nelson and Forbes for the helpful, friendly and rapid service. Review by J.R. / (Posted on 30/01/2017)

Went down very well.