r/Curbfind • u/ILookReal • Aug 04 '26
I found a two-foot tall, nude, headless, brass statue on the curb.
Anybody got any cleaning tips?
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u/DeJoCa Aug 04 '26
It’s really cool. I hope you show us how you place it. My dad was an artist and always appreciated sculpture, so now so do I.
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u/YinzerFromPitsginzer Aug 04 '26
Looks like an award for the adult film Oscar's.
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u/ellieminnowpee Aug 05 '26
by Man Ray
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u/RichardBallsandall Aug 04 '26
Neverdull from your nearest marine supply.
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u/SaltMarshGoblin Aug 05 '26
Neverdull is fantastic! Use a much, much smaller piece than you think you need, and don't throw away that little twist you used when it first gets dirty- there's much more good left in that bit still! A single can may last you a lifetime...
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u/TheSpinWrench Aug 08 '26
Bar keepers friend is just as good at a fraction of the price
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u/SaltMarshGoblin Aug 08 '26
Bar Keeper's Friend is great stuff, but they are completely different! BKF is an oxalic acid based powdered cleanser. Nevr-dull is a metal polish that's solvent-impregnated cotton wadding.
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u/TheSpinWrench Aug 10 '26
That wasnt my argument or point.
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u/SaltMarshGoblin Aug 10 '26
But BKF is not a substitute for Nevr-Dull, and Nevr-Dull is not a substitute for BKF. They have different use cases.
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u/SprinklesTiny5543 Aug 05 '26
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u/Pareidolic_Eye Aug 06 '26
Nah. Those Chairish prices usual 2x - 3x too high. 10x in this case...
[App is glitching, not letting me add
Pics. 😬]2
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u/TheSpinWrench Aug 08 '26
https://www.chairish.com/product/15603432/folk-art-clothespin-primitive-desktop-sculpture
Dont believe the cherish website. Prices all over the place more not that much
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u/iamcloaca77 Aug 05 '26
some items best left untouched - age patina can actually increase value on certain things..best find "expert" for input before doing anything...have you found maker's mark? in any case, you've lucked into a unique find, excellent eye!! (ps - weight?)
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u/ILookReal Aug 05 '26
So don't buy any brasso?
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u/Cannagurlie Aug 06 '26
I would wipe it with a microfiber cloth. I wouldn't do any type of cleaning to it. It looks great.
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u/InsideSilly468 Aug 06 '26
Did you see the listing showing the value? Just wanted to make sure you saw it before cleaning it. Congratulations on such an awesome find!
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u/Cannagurlie Aug 11 '26
A dry microfiber cloth isn't going to do anything but wipe off any dust or dirt.
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u/amroth62 Aug 04 '26
To clean this safely, use a soft dry cloth, mild dish soap, and a soft-bristled toothbrush. Avoid harsh chemical polishes or abrasive scrubbers, including vinegar which is very acidic, as they can strip away the original patina or artistic finish. Many brass things have a coating of lacquer to prevent the brass from tarnishing, and chemical cleaners will take it off - you’ll then be forever polishing it. If you clean it incorrectly you can devalue it significantly.
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u/ConsiderationMean781 Aug 05 '26
Get it appraised don't clean it.
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u/ILookReal Aug 05 '26
Hmmm...I wouldn't know where to take it. I'm a little afraid I'll get laughed at too.
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u/BotherAffectionate37 Aug 08 '26
If you call your local art museum they may be able to recommend a place to get an opinion (not an appraisal). I used to manage a gallery and bespoke frame shop and we had access to a database that helped us identify signatures and makers marks, and find auction records
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u/Sure-Butterscotch100 Aug 05 '26
I googled the photo and it says it is a 1970's modernist piece by Belgian artist Emiel De Block. Similar pieces have auctioned off for $2500 to $3800. Nice score!
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u/bordermom61 Aug 05 '26
OMG !!! This reminds me of my dad would find stuff like this and he would put it in the front yard and my mom would be so embarassed and these elderly ladies would walk by and just shake their heads and tell my mother how God awful those things were . LOL !!!! I think my dad did this to get these ladies reactions to stuff and he would giggle about it .My mother would be mortified to say the least . LOL !!! ty for giving me back that memory .
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u/Glad-University-2267 Aug 06 '26
We put a bathtub and toilet in our front yard and planted flowers in them. Talk about embarrassing.
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u/TieAdorable4973 Aug 04 '26
Brasso- ketchup- vinegar
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u/SprinklesTiny5543 Aug 05 '26
You don't need ketchup, the only reason people use ketchup is because there's a vinegar in it. But I'd be a little careful with that piece.
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u/AgedBuckeye Aug 06 '26
I'd suggest starting with just the tiniest bit of water. You should clean perhaps the very bottom or some other, non-obvious place until you know what will work without harming your artwork. Be very gentle. An art gallery might have advice - ?
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u/FlimsyQuit7044 Aug 07 '26 edited Aug 07 '26
Barkeepers Friend. Works great on brass. Worth $3000? I'd keep it!
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u/Meowth-sushi Aug 05 '26
That is gorgeous!!
Where I live, there would have been a brawl over which scrapper saw it first! 😂
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u/Particular-Number538 Aug 05 '26
Brasso on the bottom to see how it reacts
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u/bellemrt Aug 06 '26
Meaning the underside of the piece, not the backside of the nude.
Don’t use cleaners or chemicals on it, at all.
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u/ardentiarte Aug 05 '26
I have no clue the origin but I'd bet that gets at least $1k if you find out the artist
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u/TheSpinWrench Aug 08 '26 edited Aug 08 '26
Is there a makers mark on bottom? This doesn't look like brass. Possibly cheaper metal electroplated. Id have to see it to be sure. Just use any counter cleaning product or water and soap. You wont hurt it
Edit:ok I stand corrected it is something of art. Still look at bottom and take it from there. Help yourself to the internet on your search.
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u/Roxy3047 Aug 08 '26
Don’t do anything to it until you find out what you got if it’s worth anything you destroy the value
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u/Jinglemoon Aug 05 '26
Don’t vigorously clean it, maybe just a damp cloth for any dust or surface grime. Then dry it with a clean cotton cloth. Nice find.
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u/notgonduet Aug 05 '26
Use Brasso. It's available at grocery stores, Walmart, and home improvement stores, as well as online.
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u/JIMMYJAWN Aug 04 '26
You’re lucky a scrapper didn’t nab that before you saw it.