AFTER COMPLETION THE HAND CARVED ORIGINAL IS ENCASED IN A RUBBER MOULD, USING HIGH QUALITY RUBBER NOTED FOR ITS GOOD “MEMORY”, RETAINING THE SMALLEST DETAIL, 

THE MODEL IS CAREFULLY CUT FROM THE MOULD AND PLACED IN PATRICK’S ARCHIVES. THE CAVITY IN THE RUBBER MOULD IS THEN SLOWLY FILLED WITH MOLTEN WAX. ONCE THE WAX HAS COOLED AND SOLIDIFIED, IT TOO, IS GENTLY EXTRACTED FROM THE RUBBER MOULD. 

THE WAX REPLICA OF THE ORIGINAL IS THEN METICULOUSLY CLEANED AND EXAMINED TO ENSURE EVERY DETAIL HAS BEEN CAPTURED. IT IS THEN ENCASED IN PLASTER, PLACED IN A FURNACE & HEATED. THE HEAT CAUSES THE “LOSS” OF THE WAX, WHICH RUNS OUT THROUGH A TINY APERTURE, LEAVING BEHIND A PERFECT “GHOST” FORM IN THE PLASTER.

MOLTEN SILVER IS THEN POURED INTO THIS HOLLOW AND ALLOWED TO COOL. THEN THE THEATRE BEGINS - THE PLASTER MOULD IS BROKEN OFF, REVEALING THE ANIMAL WITHIN & THE SILVER FILLED “FEED LINES” (HOLLOW CHANNELS THAT ADMITTED THE MOLTEN METAL INTO THE HOLLOW) ARE CUT AWAY.

SCULPTURES FROM PATRICK MAVROS ARE ALL CAST USING THE “LOST WAX” TECHNIQUE. THE HISTORY OF THIS PROCESS DATES BACK 5000 YEARS AND FOUND ITS HIGHEST EXPRESSION IN THE HANDS OF 16TH CENTURY ITALIAN GOLDSMITH BENVENUTO CELLINI. 

AN ART IN ITSELF, LOST WAX CASTING REQUIRES PAINSTAKING DISCIPLINE AND PATIENCE. TO BEGIN THIS NINE-STAGE PROCEDURE, PATRICK MAVROS CARVES AN ORIGINAL TO PRODUCE THE ORIGINAL MODEL. 

EVERY HAND CARVED ORIGINAL IS TESTAMENT TO YEARS OF OBSERVATION AND EXPERIENCE OF THE BEHAVIOR AND MANNERISMS OF WILD ANIMALS.

THE ANIMAL FIGURE IS EXAMINED AND ONLY IF IT IS CONSIDERED FLAWLESS, IS IT CLEANED AND THEN POLISHED TO BRING OUT THE PERFECTION IN EVERY DETAIL. THE SILVER SCULPTURE IS THEN HALLMARKED.

FINALLY, IT MAY BE ATTACHED TO AN INDIVIDUAL BLACKWOOD BASE WITH SOLID SILVER PINS AND THEN IT IS FINALLY READY FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT.

SOME OF PATRICK MAVROS’ SILVER PIECES ARE MOUNTED ON NATURAL ROOTS SECTIONS OF ZIMBABWEAN BLACKWOOD (DALBERGIA MELANOXYLON). SINCE THE WOOD IS RESISTANT TO TERMITES, WHEN THE BLACKWOOD TREE DIES, ITS ROOTS REMAIN FOR DECADES IN THE GROUND.

HERE BENEATH THE SOIL OF AFRICA, THEY ARE CURED UNDER IDEAL NATURAL CONDITIONS, DRYING OUT SLOWLY SHEILDED FROM THE SUN AND THE WIND AND GRADUALLY BECOMING IMPREGNATED WITH A PROTECTIVE SEEPAGE OF MINERALS FROM THE SURROUNDING ROCKS.

ONLY THE ROOTS OF LONG DEAD TREES ARE USED, BY WHICH TIME THE WOOD IS EXTREMELY HARD AND DURABLE. ITS CLOSE-GRAINED SATINY TEXTURE TAKES A HIGH GLOSS WHEN POLISHED, WHILE NATURALLY SCULPTED FORMS OF THE TREE’S ROOTS LEND THEMSELVES TO PATRICK’S INTERPRETATIONS OF AFRICAN LANDSCAPES. THE ROOT SECTIONS PRESENT EVOCATIVE IMAGES OF FAMILIAR AFRICAN PHENOMENA - A DRY RIVERBED, OR A WATER HOLE, A GRANITE OUTCROP OR TERMITE MOUND.

THE POSSIBLITIES ARE AS INFINITE AS THE LAND ITSELF AND OF COURSE EACH PIECE HAS A UNIQUE ASPECT, A CHARACTER ALL OF ITS OWN LIKE THE TREE THAT PRODUCED IT.

RULE NO 1. - THERE IS ALWAYS A COMPLIMENTARY CLEANING SERVICE FOR ALL PATRICK MAVROS SCULPTURES, NO MATTER HOW SMALL OR HOW LARGE.

CLEANING, CARE & STORAGE OF SILVER

I RECOMMEND THE USE OF SILVER FOAM AND SILVER SPRAY BY REPUTABLE MANUFACTURERS SUCH AS TOWN TALK, HAGGERTY OR GODDARDS. BY FOLLOWING THEIR DIRECTIONS FOR USE, THESE CLEANING AGENTS CAN BE USED FOR ALL OF PATRICK MAVROS’ SILVER PRODUCTS.

DO NOT STORE YOUR JEWELLERY IN THE BLACK PATRICK MAVROS BOXES AS THERE IS ACIDITY IN THESE BOXES THAT WILL TARNISH YOUR SILVER IN THE LONG TERM. 

WHEN STORING OR PACKING SCULPTURES OR JEWELLERY, THE PIECES SHOULD BE FIRST CLEANED, PUT INTO A PLASTIC BAG AND THEN PACKED INTO AN AIRTIGHT PLASTIC CONTAINER. SHOULD ANY OF THESE METHODS FAIL, DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT US DIRECTLY. WE PROMISE TO DO OUR BEST TO HELP YOU.