Seam line

Definition

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Faintly raised line that forms at the joints between mold sections when a molten material or slurry is poured into a piece mold. Seam lines are found on plaster or wax casts as well as on bronzes cast in piece molds. In the case of ancient Chinese bronzes, the seam lines have been exaggerated and integrated into the design of the casts, as can be seen in the Elephant-shaped vessel in Case Study 3 (see Fig. 795). The term also refers to the line along which the pieces of a refractory piece mold join -- which is the locus of the line that forms on the bronze. Depending on the how well the piece mold pieces fit together, the seam line may be more or less raised. More extreme flashing occurs with ill-fitting pieces.

Note: Compared with flashing, which generally forms in uneven, sharp, rough flanges of metal, seam lines on the bronze surface are commonly linear, rounded and run along the highpoints of convex surfaces. Seam lines are generally removed as part of the fettling and chasing processes. Some modern artists leave them intentionally as evidence of the working process (see Fig. 878).

Homographs

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Synonyms

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Gussnaht

Related Terms

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To Be Distinguished From

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Finning   Flashing   Veining

Note: Compared with rough flashing, seam lines on the bronze surface are often linear, rounded and relatively smooth.

Sources

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Cultural Heritage Publications

Lie, H. and Bewer, F. G. (2014) ‘Ex Aere Factum: Technical Notes on Ancient Bronzes’, in Ancient bronzes through a modern lens: Introductory Essays on the Studt of Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Bronzes., (p. 47)

Art and Craft Textbooks

Rome, R. and Young, H. (2003) Fine Art Metal Casting: An Illustrated Guide to Mould Making and Lost Wax Processes. London: Robert Hale.

Rich, Jack (1988) The Materials and Methods of Sculpture. Dover Publications., (p. 410)

Category

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objects

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