Lost wax bronze casting is an ancient technique dating back 5000 years. Our bronze horseshoe crabs are made using a variation of the process known as organic casting. As the crabs grow, they molt, leaving behind paper thin shells in dune grasses along the Atlantic coast. We collect these shells, fix them with a wax gating system to deliver the bronze, then surround them in a refractory mold. The mold is placed in a kiln where the wax melts out and the shell (organic material) burns up, leaving behind a detailed void to be filled with molten bronze. After the bronze cools, the mold is opened and the crab is cut from the gating system. The bronze cast is then cleaned and chased. Finally a selected patina color is applied using heat and pigment.  

The 18 inch bronze horseshoe crab (pictured above) was created using the lost wax process, from a mold of an actual found crab shell. This one sided horseshoe crab (no legs underneath) is designed for wall or tabletop display (size- 18’’L x 8.5’’W x 3’’ H, 7.5 lbs). Our bronze casts are created for in or outdoor installation. Custom color and mounting are available. 

This oyster shell was made from a mold of a real shell and is also available for hand engraving on the underside. Please inquire for orders.

The smaller crabs below are two sided, one of a kind casts from found molted shells.