Mountain Lion Skulls

The mountain lion skulls are the first of our own California Natural History series. Cast from an actual Mountain Lion skull, it has a warm bronze patina.

Cast Bronze Skulls - The Story by Dave

I was interested in finding the source of the small bronze castings available for purchase in Indonesia.

After asking around, we discovered that there was a bronze casting village in central Java where most of the work was done. I then went online with the name of the village, assuming that it was the type production that would have concentrated into a few larger modern foundries over time. I found nothing.

So we hit the road to search the old fashioned way.

What I discovered was surprising. Casting takes place in dozens of backyard foundries, just as it has always been done. All the bronze and brass used as raw material is recycled, so old knobs and plumbing fixtures are thrown into the molten mix in the furnace, and the odd bolts and steel bits are fished out with a strainer.

It has taken several years and many visits, but we now know the best of the small foundries who reliably produce quality products for us.

Human Skulls

These small human skulls have no particular cultural significance, but seem to be quite popular, and are one of my favorite items to purchase while we slowly develop our own line of cast bronze products. These have an actual silver finish that tarnishes nicely over a short time, giving the skulls and antique patina. It has taken several years and many visits, but we now know the best of the small foundries who reliably produce quality products for us.