632 THE ART OF CASTING BRONZE IN JAPAN. 



in many cases in wliicli the use of a sand or loam mold was jierfectly 

 admissible, a clay mold seems to have been preferred because it could 

 be heated before it was tilled with metal,, a point to which much 

 importance is attached. Their methods of molding in sand do not 

 differ greatly from ours; I will hence only describe that followed in the 

 old mint about sixty years ago, where this kind of molding was 

 brouglit to a high state of perfection for casting the bronze coins 

 known as "tempo." 



Specimens of these coins and of mirrors cast in the same way are 

 exhibited. 



The model, or "mother" coin as it was termed, was prepared in 

 bronze, either by the "cera x)erduta" method or by cutting and engrav- 

 ing. For mirrors and similar objects this or a model in wood was used 

 as the "pattern," but for coins, when many bad to be cast, the "])at- 

 terns" were prepared tirst by casting from tlie "mother" coin what were 

 termed "seed" coins in pewter, and then from these the actual working 

 "patterns" in bronze. 



Lantern slides were shown illustrating the operations of molding 

 and casting in the old mint in Yeddo in 1835, as follows: 



Filling the mold frame with sand. 



Molding by means of the metal patterns. 



Smoking the molds. 



Pouring the bronze into the vertical sand molds, see PI. LXX, 



The "flask" or frame for holding the sand was of wood, without 

 transverse or longitudinal ribs. It was placed on a flat board on the 

 floor of the molding room, where it was tilled with damj) sand — the sand 

 being well trodden to consolidate it — the excess was scraped ofl' and 

 the surface made level and smooth. Upon this surface, which was 

 first dusted with charcoal powder, two bronze rods to form the ingates 

 and main feeding channels were i^laced, and on each side of them a 

 row of the metal "patterns," all being carefully pressed into the .sand. 

 Another frame was then placed upon it and filled with sand, which 

 was also very carefully trodden. The frames were then separated, 

 the "patterns" removed, and a small channel was cut from each cavity 

 in the mold leading to the main channel. They were now placed on an 

 open frame and their inner surfaces were smoked with burning pine 

 wood held below them in a brazier. After being again fitted together 

 they were placed between two boards and firndy braced up, and then set 

 up vertically in the melting room to receive the bronze. 



2.— THE FURNACES AND APPLIANCES OF THE FOUNDRY. 



The furnaces and appliances which are used by Japanese artists for 

 melting and casting bronze are of a very simple character. Tliey con- 

 sist of a series of cupola furnaces in segments, several crucible fur- 

 naces, and two kinds of blowing machines. 



Eeverberatory fuiuaces were not employed by the old founders, but 



