Electrotype

The process of electrotyping, or ‘electroforming’, was developed in the 1830s. It satisfied the Victorian enthusiasm for ingenuity of invention in industrial processes and was an economical way to manufacture large-scale objects. Either a positive wax model of the object, or a negative mould was placed in a copper plating tank and copper was allowed to deposit itself by electro-deposition onto the surface of the objects, until it had built up to a structural thickness. Large sculpture was made in sections using the mould deposition option. Each copper section was then cleaned and joined together by brazing or soldering. Electrotypes can be patinated similarly to bronzes, but now frequently have a natural, green patina which has developed on the copper over time. Either finish can be reproduced to disguise any repairs. On electrotype sculptures, the thin copper shell will corrode if not cared for, allowing water into the plaster core, the resulting expansion of the core and armature materials produces splits and eventual collapse. We effect repairs by reproducing any large missing or heavily damaged areas using copper sheet, and by reinforcing weak areas using copper or fibreglass resin. Usually such objects require the replacement of their original ferrous fixings with new stainless steel security fixings and if necessary an armature.