Original and Reproduction Art Nouveau Inkstands
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The reproduction of this Art Nouveau inkstand is, by far, the most common one around. Examples of both the ferrous orignal (top half in the figures) and the brass reproduction (bottom half in the figures) are shown here. The inkstands are imaged at the same scale, so you may notice that the original is slightly larger then the reproduction. When the original item is cast in a ceramic mold, the latter "negative" copy shrinks when it is fired in a kiln. Another casting to make a "positive" is needed for further copies, thus doubling the shrinkage in any single dimension. Thus, the reproductions are typically smaller than the original when the reproduction is made from molds copied from the original. This reproduction was made in the Orient during the 1980's (if not currently being made), and retailed for $15.00.
The loss of detail is obvious in the detail comparison - the butterfly and plant details are washed out, and the background stippling is not uniform in the brass compared to the other.
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