ABOUT US

Antique Bronze began in 1955 by, John Branch, who had an enduring love for sculpture and historic buildings. His commitment to caring for and preserving bronze, both sculptural and architectural, remains the backbone of our company.

We are a family business with niche expertise and our aim is to work with clients over the long term. We place a team with your project who will carry out the works you need, but also, take the trouble to get to know your project better than you do. Our way of working ensures that you don’t end up with headaches, and we tell you about issues that are arising, and how we can solve them before they become problems.

You will enjoy working with us if you want to have a reliable, experienced team, expert knowledge when you need it, a dedicated manager of your project, and your aim is long-term care.

Conservator Lucy Branch performing bronze maintenance work on Philip Jackson's Bomber Command Memorial sculpture in Green Park, London

ABOUT LUCY BRANCH

MA (RCA/V&A) ACR

DIRECTOR

Lucy Branch is one of Antique Bronze’s Directors. She specialises in the conservation and restoration of bronze sculpture and architectural features.

Her undergraduate studies were at UCL where she studied History of Art with Material Studies. Later in her career, she undertook a mid-career Masters in Conservation with The Royal College of Art and The Victoria and Albert Museum. She is accredited by The Institute of Conservation.

Lucy has worked on, and led high-profile sculpture and architectural conservation projects including Eros and The Shaftsbury Memorial, The Queen Victoria Memorial, outside Buckingham Palace, The Cripps Buildings at St Johns College, Cambridge University, and The Barbara Hepworth Collection, Tate St Ives and Historic Royal Palaces among many others.

She also consults on conservation projects for local councils, museums and art institutions, heritage bodies and architects.

THE WIDER WORLD OF SCULPTURE

Lucy’s passion for sculpture goes far beyond her role in the company. She is the author of two non-fiction books about sculpture conservation and writes academic articles on metal conservation including work for Oxford University Press and Routledge. She also writes on Substack, commenting on topics of interest around public sculpture.

She hosts, The Sculpture Vulture Podcast, where she interviews sculptors whose work can be found in the public domain and discusses topics around public sculpture. She stands at the intersection of science and art, combining rigorous technical expertise with deep historical understanding.

For a decade, she has written fiction set in the world of sculpture, which has been featured in Timeout London, The BBC World Service and Radio 4. Her work as a sculptural conservator has inspired these novels.

Sculpture conservator Lucy Branch performing bronze maintenance work on Richard Farrington's Whale's Tail in Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth

ABOUT IAIN MCLEAN

Iain McLean is a Director who has run many of the projects that Antique Bronze has become best known for.

These include the conservation of Nelson’s Column Bronzework including Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square Bronzework, Cleopatra’s Needle, The Albert Memorial and a variety of architectural projects such as Bush House, Victoria House and University of London Headquarters. His particular interest and expertise lies in the conservation of small fine art bronzes. He is also head of the small bronze restoration studio.

Iain McLean Bronze Conservation Bronze Restoration

MEET THE TEAM

WHAT MAKES US STAND OUT?

High-profile clients trust us
We are highly qualified and experienced in the conservation and restoration of bronze
We can manage and run large-scale projects.
We are organized, reliable and have long-lasting business relationships with our clients.
We are committed to continued professional development to upgrade our knowledge and skills so that we can provide a better service every year.
We are highly involved with the conservation industry and regularly share our expertise, write for publications and teach.
We don’t take on work unless we are sure we can do an outstanding job.
We can advise on projects to help your projects run smoothly
Our ethos is long-term care of your sculpture or historic feature
Our team are genuine lovers of art and historic features. We even have our own art podcast!
We communicate well with our clients so that you know when we will be on site, sending gentle reminders if your works are due or updating clients if circumstances, like poor weather, prohibit work.

Speak to our team at Antique Bronze Ltd to discuss your next project 0208 340 0931 or

email us