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Foundry Bronze Sculpture Handmade In Britain and Delivered Worldwide

Bronze Hare Sculpture: Garden Flying Hare by Sue Maclaurin (Life Size)

Bronze Hare Sculpture: Garden Flying Hare by Sue Maclaurin

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  • Bronze Hare Sculpture: Garden Flying Hare by Sue Maclaurin
  • Bronze Hare Sculpture: Garden Flying Hare by Sue Maclaurin
  • Bronze Hare Sculpture: Garden Flying Hare by Sue Maclaurin
  • Bronze Hare Sculpture: Garden Flying Hare by Sue Maclaurin
  • Bronze Hare Sculpture: Garden Flying Hare by Sue Maclaurin
  • Bronze Hare Sculpture: Garden Flying Hare by Sue Maclaurin
  • Bronze Hare Sculpture: Garden Flying Hare by Sue Maclaurin
  • Bronze Hare Sculpture: Garden Flying Hare by Sue Maclaurin
  • Bronze Hare Sculpture: Garden Flying Hare by Sue Maclaurin
  • Bronze Hare Sculpture: Garden Flying Hare by Sue Maclaurin
  • Bronze Hare Sculpture: Garden Flying Hare by Sue Maclaurin
  • Bronze Hare Sculpture: Garden Flying Hare by Sue Maclaurin
  • Bronze Hare Sculpture: Garden Flying Hare by Sue Maclaurin
  • Bronze Hare Sculpture: Garden Flying Hare by Sue Maclaurin
  • Bronze Hare Sculpture: Garden Flying Hare by Sue Maclaurin
Including VAT: $3,921.01 Excluding VAT: $3,267.50
Orders for delivery outside of the European VAT zone are not subject to 20% VAT

Will be dispatched on: Friday 28th March

This piece has been very popular and is currently available to pre-order. The next castings in the edition are being lovingly handmade now. We will dispatch all orders placed for this piece on the date shown above.

 

This WILL NOT arrive in time for Christmas (UK & Overseas). Pre-Order Now and this will be dispatched on the date shown above.

Delivery Is Free! How Long Will It Take To Arrive?
Size in cm: 60w x 57h x 20d cm
Size in inches: 24"w x 22"h x 8"d
Weight: 12.5kg / 27lb 8oz

Edition: 95
Material: Foundry Cast Bronze

Nelson and Forbes are pleased to introduce the magnificent new life sized bronze Garden Flying Hare sculpture by Sue Maclaurin.

This stunning bronze hare was created in response to requests from collectors for a bronze hare sculpture that would look spectacular in the garden.  The size and explosive energy of this sculpture means it creates a real talking point in any setting, whether formal or more relaxed. It is equally at home inside or out, and looks absolutely stunning whether displayed on a lawn, a patio, a hearth or deep window sill.

We cast this piece entirely by hand in our British foundry, using the traditional lost wax method of bronze casting, as a strictly limited edition of just 95 castings worldwide.  Each casting is individually engraved with its own unique edition number, making it truly a rare treasure.  Once all 95 castings of this piece have been cast, the master mould will be destroyed and no further castings will ever be made.

Each casting of this sculpture takes six weeks to cast by hand and bears the artist's signature, its own unique edition number and arrives accompanied Nelson & Forbes 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.

 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.

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 5 item(s)

We're delighted with him
Overall Satisfaction
The Flying Hare arrived within the last 30 minutes and appears to be in good health. Once we decide upon placement, we’ll forward some photographs. We’re delighted with him—now, for a name. Perhaps, Henry! Happy holidays!!
Review by Mr. and Mrs. Norris (USA) / (Posted on 14/12/2022)
Beautiful pieces
Overall Satisfaction
The Flying Hare has arrived! Thanks so much for all your help. They are beautiful pieces and I am going to give them a lovely home!! Review by Ms. B.K. (USA) / (Posted on 09/07/2021)
Our friend Albert
Overall Satisfaction
We've named him Albert and he graces our coffee table at our country home. He is absolutely delightful.
The ordering and delivery process was outstanding. We received Albert in Canada at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. The delivery time was much shorter than local deliveries. Our beautiful sculpture made it to our house in less than a week! Review by Louise (Canada) / (Posted on 28/10/2020)
Beautiful
Overall Satisfaction
We have put this sculpture in the flowerbed where we can see it from inside and it gives us a lot of pleasure. It is a lovely piece of work. Review by Elisabeth / (Posted on 04/03/2018)
The Birthday Hare
Overall Satisfaction
Well, I can tell you that the Hare was a complete surprise to the birthday boy and he just couldn’t believe his eyes.
Luckily he thinks it is quite wonderful and says that it must stay in London so that he can see it most of the time.
I have shown photos of it to various friends and family and without exception everyone thinks it is quite splendid and my brother says he wants one for his birthday!
So a big thank you to you and to Sue Maclaurin for creating it for us and I know we will have many happy years with it. With many heartfelt thanks. Review by Rosemary / (Posted on 02/05/2017)