House and Garden 
J3? YOR^ 
cautions are not taken. The “Chariot of 
Apollo ” was cast at the Arsenal by the 
sculptor Tuby, in 1668, after the design of 
Lebrun, and was restored in the time of 
Napoleon. The alloys of that period have 
been analyzed as follows by Capron, a 
chemical assayer : 
Lead.98.82 
Antimony.92 
Iron.25 
Silver.01 
several years than the “Chariot of Apollo,” 
presents a different case. The lead, insuffi¬ 
ciently supported, has likewise given way and 
has opened. Rain has corroded the metal, 
which appears jagged and as if slashed by 
long cuts. This action of damp air upon 
alloys of lead and antimony may thus be 
explained. The two metals united mechani¬ 
cally and not chemically, behave differently 
in the air. While lead oxidizes and remains 
otherwise intact, antimony disappears leaving 
v 
LEADEN GROUP IN “ THE BASIN OF FLORA,” VERSAILLES 
Cast by Tuby after Designs by Lebrun 
The above composition lead is at once 
more solid than purified lead. It still con¬ 
tains two hard metals, iron and antimony 
with which it remains mixed. However, it 
is still too soft to be cast, except in great 
thickness, and the weight of the statues larger 
than Nature, which figure in this basin, made 
numerous strong stays necessary. In spite 
of all precautions, several of these figures 
have yielded. Another group, “The Triton,” 
has sunk upon itself, but the metal shows no 
fissures. “The Ancelade,” which is later by 
in its place small honeycomb cells, which 
make the lead fragile, inviting it to give way 
at the least shock and crumble to powder. 
The “Basin of Neptune” was the last 
finished of all the groups, it having been 
completed under Louis XV. The following 
analysis of its fragments gives a somewhat 
different result from the foregoing. 
Lead. 77 - 5 ° 
Tin .22.45 
Copper.traces 
Antimony.traces 
