Why Should I choose a Brass Armillary Sphere?
Brass was the first material that Capel Tenison (founder and owner of Border Sundials) experimented with, “It was back in the noughties when I first had the idea to make an armillary sphere and I chose brass because I felt is was the most traditional finish”
Brass has a rich history in sculpture, dating back to ancient civilizations such as Mesopotamia and Egypt, where it was used for decorative objects and statues. During the Renaissance, the eminent artists, Donatello and Ghiberti embraced brass for its malleability and golden hue. In modern times, artists continue to explore its versatility, creating intricate and expressive sculptures.
Brass is an alloy metal that is made up of copper and zinc. Due to brass’s unique properties, it is one of the most widely used of all alloys, making it a good choice of metal for armillary spheres. Brass offers many positives and great versatility. It has the combination of strength and hardness. It is resistant to corrosion and has a high tensile strength meaning it can withstand higher pressures and yet is malleable.
If you choose a brass armillary sphere it will change in colour as it ages over time. The armillary will arrive with you a dark golden colour and as time passes it will slowly mellow to a rich chocolatey brown. This happens due to a process called ‘patination’, a thin layer forms on the surface of the brass due to contact with oxygen in the air. Many people like this change in colour that happens over time and feel the dark brown colour is the best suited to the colour scheme of their garden. The strong dark arcs and curves of the Brass Armillary Sphere are easily visible against a pale background or against the sky.
Brass also offers affordability. Border Sundials range of brass armillary spheres is offered in an elegant stripped back design with no arrow head or tail nor tropic or polar circles. These options can of course be added if the client desires, however the secondary benefit of this simplicity is that it allows slightly more space for longer engravings on the horizontal band.
