The History of Bronze

The history of man's civilization has been measured by his ability to manufacture as well as use materials found in his surroundings. Tools as well as weapons have been found in numerous locations around the world, attesting to this. Following the Stone Age, there's a small and sometimes overlooked age of prehistoric man called the Copper Age. This segment in man's history is sometimes left out or included in the following age - the Bronze Age.

History of Patinas

It is from this Bronze Age artwork of antiquity that we find the foundations of patination. In China there have been mirrors exhumed from tombs that indicate chemical compounds were deliberately placed on the surface of the cast bronze. It is unknown if this was done to indicate social rank or merely to enhance the beauty of the object itself. Nevertheless, it is proof that intentional colouration of bronze goes back almost as far as casting itself. Other cultures have found indications of artificial patination or colouration on bronze as well. India and Greece have both discovered traces of foreign pigments that indicate the bronze sculptures may have been painted with egg, water, and pigment mixtures. Whether this was done for aesthetic or religious purposes is unknown.

Traditional Bronze 90-10

Traditionally, bronze was composed of 90% copper and 10% tin. This alloy ratio varied considerably from time to time and culture to culture, depending on style, casting requirements, and availability of these minerals. This metal combination is the foundation from which all other bronze alloys were developed. However, the 90-10 available in this country is composed of 90% copper and 10% zinc. This is the most frequently used material by architectural metal manufacturers when supplying fixtures and fittings to newly designed buildings.

Tin is what separates bronze from the "brass" family. Where bronze is composed of copper and tin, brass is a mixture of copper and zinc. This combination not only makes brass more brittle than that of bronze, it is also what gives brass its yellowish, amber colour.