Posted 13 years ago
mrn66
(3 items)
Found these great Gargoyle faced furniture feet. Look like they are missing the ball that goes in the mouth/teeth area. Thought they were cast iron but on closer inspection realized they are copper, brass or bronze, the gold color is showing in some spots underneath (looks like rust in photos, but it's not). Don't know anything about them but they seem very old. If any one has any information on these I would greatly appreciate it. Also opinions on the type of material would help, I don't know how to tell the difference between copper, brass or bronze in this condition. A magnet does not stick to it, that is all I know........LOL!
Hello,
Those are very nice. My first guess is they are cast iron due to the rusting. The copper or brass color you see is most likely remnants of the flashing process that was done to make them appear to be copper or brass back when they were new. But at the end you say a magnet does not stick. So they could be brass that has oxidized to the point of looking like rust. I would say they are right around 1900. You can purchase new acrylic balls that should fit in the cavity.
Here is a tip for cleaning brass or copper. I use a toilet bowl cleaner (The Works or Sno-Bol, the gel stuff works well). This stuff will cut oxidation very quickly. Do use in a well ventilated area and do wear some rubber gloves (the cleaner will find any cuts quickly and you will know very quickly if you have any). You can use a soft wire brush for getting in the crack and grooves and some 0000 steel wool for smooth surfaces. When you are finished cleaning rinse the pieces well and even wash them in soapy water. After they have dried use some 0000 steel wool to buff them to a shine and clear coat.
Thanks for sharing
Trenchartman
Hello Trenchartman, thank you for your response. The color you are seeing in the picture isn't rust, it is actually the gold color underneath. It does look like rust in the picture. The flash on the camera makes it look rusty instead of gold. I was thinking they were from late 1800's to early 1900's, but have not found anything to compare them to.