Bovano of Cheshire

Glass and metal sculptures fired with imagination . . . For more than 50 years, Bovano's craftsmen have been designing and hand-making wall art, gifts and decorative accessories, using vitreous glass enamel on copper. Their sculptures and metal wall art are collected the world over and are known for their exceptional quality, vivid color and timeless designs. The creation of a Bovano sculpture is a long and delicate process that requires skilled individuals to complete.

The crafting begins with the cutting and forming of raw copper into the numerous and varied shapes required for each design. Finely ground glass powders are then gently applied to the copper surface. Through the skill of Bovano Artisans, the glass powders and the copper shapes are arranged for the desired design.

The glass is then fused at 1600 degrees after the application of ground glass is completed. This process occurs by placing each copper shape in to a furnace and firing it. By the intense heat of the furnace, the glass fuses to the copper after it achieves a red hot molten state.

When the copper enameled shape is removed from the red-hot furnaces, the glass cools. Molten glass cools into bright reds, greens, yellow, and blues in hundreds of different hues.

Dramatic and brilliant colors, which are unlike any other medium, are achieved during the firing process. Often ranslucent or transparent in appearance, a jewel-like finish is created with the enduring beauty and quality of glass. The colors will keep their unusual brilliance forever.

But, the creation of the copper enamels is just one step in the creation of a Bovano sculpture. Now the sculpture itself must be crafted and combined with the copper enamels. This is done, again, through the skill, dedication, and patience of people at Bovano who have the ability to compose a concept into a completed work of art.

Welded steel structures, brazed with bronze and brass, polished, buffed and coated to protect it's finish, allows the essence of the sculpture's design to come to life. Each individual and carefully welded joint is delicate by its very nature. The skilled welder molds steel in to the finished sculpture.

This bonding completes the creation of the sculpture through the skill and knowledge of the craftsman. The design is now complete and ready for shipment to locations around the world.

Inspired by scenes of reef fish and coral, songbirds in their natural setting and herons standing in their natural pose, Bovano has created a wonderful and unique group of products.

Bovano wall art and decorative accessories should be cared for like fine crystal. To preserve their beauty, they should be gently washed with a solution of mild soap and water, then dried with a soft cloth. Care should be taken to avoid bending the copper shapes.