A bronze horse is one of the most rewarding sculptures you can own – full of movement, strength and history. But the usual way of buying one, through a gallery or an antique dealer, is often expensive and complicated. Here is how the process works, what to look for, and how we bring a bronze horse from the foundry straight to your door.
Step 1: You visit a gallery or an antique shop
Most people start their search in the traditional places: an art gallery, an antique shop or an auction preview. It is a lovely experience – you can walk around the piece, see the patina in the light and feel its weight. Then you look at the price card.
A gallery price has to cover much more than the sculpture itself: the shop's rent in a prime location, staff, insurance, the dealer's margin and often the commission of one or two middlemen before the piece ever reached the showroom. None of this makes the bronze better – it simply makes it more expensive.
Step 2: You realise how hard it is to get it home
Bronze is heavy. Even a medium-sized horse on a marble base can weigh more than you expect, and a large piece needs a custom wooden crate, two people to lift it and a specialist art courier. Many galleries do not ship at all, or they quote the transport separately – and that quote can be surprisingly high.
So the beautiful horse that caught your eye ends up costing the gallery price, plus crating, plus transport, plus the time it takes to organise everything.
Step 3: How we do it differently – we make it
At Objeva we skip the chain of middlemen. Our sculptures are made in our own foundry workshops and by carefully selected local makers who work from the best moulds available. The classic method for a fine bronze horse is lost-wax casting: a wax model is coated in a ceramic shell, the wax is melted out, and molten bronze is poured into the empty mould.
After casting, every piece is chased by hand – seams are removed, the mane and muscles are sharpened with chisels – and then the patina is applied with heat and chemicals. This is the step that gives each horse its warm brown, golden or dark finish, and no two patinas are ever exactly the same.
Want to understand patina colours better? Read our complete guide to bronze patina, care and buying tips.
Step 4: Choose your casting – lost-wax bronze or cold cast bronze
Before you choose a horse, decide which kind of bronze suits you. Both are beautiful, but they are made differently and are priced very differently:
- Lost-wax (hot cast) bronze is solid metal poured at over 1,000 °C. It is heavy, extremely durable, can live outdoors and is the material of museum and heirloom pieces.
- Cold cast bronze is a mixture of real bronze powder and resin, cast at room temperature. It looks like bronze and takes a fine level of detail, but it is lighter and much more affordable – ideal for shelves, desks and gifts.
We explain the difference in detail – including how to tell them apart – in our article Cold Cast Bronze vs. Solid Cast Bronze: What's the Difference? You can also browse each type directly: solid bronze animal sculptures or cold cast bronze.
Cold cast bronze horses – a great way to start a collection:
Step 5: We photograph it and put it on our website
Instead of waiting in a showroom, every finished piece is photographed in our studio – from several angles and with its measurements – and listed on our website. You see exactly what you are buying: the pose, the base, the patina and the size.
Step 6: You find your horse online and order it
From your sofa, you can compare a running horse with a rearing one, a small horse head for your desk with a large statement piece for the hallway, and read the full dimensions before you decide. When you have found the one, you order it in a few clicks.
What to check before you order:
- Size and weight – measure the shelf, console or garden spot first. Our product pages list height, width and depth.
- Pose – rearing and leaping horses bring drama; trotting and standing horses feel calm and classical; a horse with foal or colt makes a warm family gift.
- Base – a marble base adds weight, stability and a finished look.
- Material – lost-wax bronze for heirloom and outdoor pieces, cold cast bronze for lighter, more affordable decor.
- Indoor or outdoor – only solid bronze should live outside all year round.
Step 7: We pack it carefully and ship it to your door
Each sculpture is packed in sturdy double boxes with protective foam so it travels safely. Shipping is free, in-stock pieces leave us within 1–3 business days, and most deliveries arrive within a few business days after that. Pieces cast to order in lost-wax bronze take around four weeks to make before they ship. For customers in the United States, duties are included, so there are no surprise fees at the door. You also have 14 days to return your sculpture.
Full details are on our shipping policy page.
The result: gallery quality, without the gallery mark-up
Because the sculpture goes from the workshop to our website and then to you, you pay for the bronze and the craftsmanship – not for a showroom, a chain of dealers or a separate art courier. Our goal is simple: the best possible service at a fairer price.
More bronze horses from our collection:
Frequently asked questions
Is a bronze horse sculpture a good investment?
A well-made lost-wax bronze lasts for generations and keeps its beauty with very little care. Buy it first because you love it; its durability is what turns it into an heirloom.
How can I tell if a horse is real bronze?
Solid bronze is heavy, feels cold to the touch and rings when tapped. Cold cast bronze is lighter and warmer to the touch. Our article on cold cast vs. solid cast bronze explains more ways to tell them apart.
Can I put a bronze horse in my garden?
Yes, if it is solid (lost-wax) bronze. The patina will slowly develop outdoors, which many collectors love. Cold cast bronze should stay indoors.
How do I care for a bronze horse?
Dust it with a soft dry cloth and, once or twice a year, apply a thin coat of neutral paste wax. Avoid household cleaners and polishes, which can damage the patina.
