Spelter

[Sarah]

Zinc; -- especially so called in commerce and arts.

[Sarah]

Spelter is an archaic term for zinc but is usually seen as an alloy, containing mainly zinc with variable proportions of other metals including tin, lead and copper.
Probably first used as a brazing metal to weld other pieces with higher melting points...It was discovered to be a quick and easy casting metal which could be used to reproduce many items from a mould.
Much used in the 19th and early 20th century - mainly figurines and figural groups.
Some very large sculptural pieces were made but more usually, decorative house ware.
Often used as a cheaper alternative to bronze or to copy bronze pieces. See [Monkey Metal]

[Cami]

Commercial crude smelted zinc.