I am happy to receive any request for commissions whether for a figure, brooch, buckle
- anything in fact. The cost of making a figure varies greatly depending on its
size, detail required, complexity and how many castings are required.
The usual process in making a figure is:
Making the ‘Master’ - The figure is sculpted in clay from a sketch/photo etc. This
is a very time consuming process from a few hours for a simple brooch to several
hundred for a large sculpture. The 90mm Picts and Vikings for example, take around
12 hours to sculpt.
The ‘Mould’ - Silicone rubber is used to make a mould. For simple pieces like brooches
one mould is required - larger figures may need several moulds with the figure being
cast in separate pieces.
Casting - Molten pewter is cast into the mould. A simple mould for a brooch may
last for up to one hundred castings whereas a complex, highly detailed one may only
last for 12 castings before a new mould has to be made.
Finishing - Once cast a figure needs to be cut, filed down and then polished to a
high lustre. It may then be Electroplated and/or enamelled.
Price - In general, there is an initial set-up cost which includes the cost of sculpting
the figure, making the mould and casting one sample. Thereafter the price can be
per casting required or alternatively one price which includes set-up and a specific
number of castings. It is very difficult to give a general price but as a rough
guide items such as keyrings and simple brooches have set-up cost of around £50 and
between £3-5 per casting. Small figures (such as the 90mm Picts, Vikings and Up-Helly-Aa
range) and larger Brooches and buckles are £200 to set-up and between £12-20 per
casting.
