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Background
Regrettably, the war on
terrorism has been a costly war for our men and women in the armed
forces. Between Iraq and Afghanistan we have lost over 4,000 Americans
and many more wounded. While that number may seem small in the context
of past wars, their loss and the loss to their family and community is
important.
When a serviceman or woman
is lost in the battlefield, it has become customary to arrange their
Boots, Rifle and Helmet and the surviving members of their squad will
gather around and memorialize their fallen comrades. Some of the troops
will pray, others might recall personal stories, but make no mistake,
this is a ceremony that is taken very seriously. Every soldier knows the
next ceremony might be for them. This arrangement is also known as a
Battlefield Cross or a Battle Cross.
 Description
We decided that our war
memorial statue would recreate the same ceremonial arrangement the
soldiers do themselves in the battlefield. We wanted a monument that
would make you stop and think for a minute about the real cost of war.
We feel this is a fitting and dignified tribute to our troops and a
memorial that will keep their memory alive in a permanent way.
To cast this sculpture we
used actual military items as models, so the entire sculpture is
life-size. It is so life-like you feel like you could pick it up. It is
cast in high-quality American bronze using the ancient "lost-wax" method
of bronze casting. The patina (coloration) is a traditional chocolate
brown. This is a classic quality statue and built to last for hundreds
of years. I have seen cheap knock-offs from Thailand that are paper thin
and made from very low-grade bronze, so beware. We are currently
pursuing copyright infringement.
Measurements:
The sculpture measures 44" tall (including the bronze base) and the base is 18" wide and 22" from
front to back and 6 3/4" high. However, we can mount this on a larger or
smaller base as necessary. The height is 38" tall from the bottom of the
boots to the top of the helmet.
We can also make other
modifications as necessary. The rifle can be positioned with the trigger
and magazine facing forward or backward and the boots can be positioned
with the toes spread at a 45 degree angle. There is also a gun strap on
the rifle which we can exclude if you wish.
Plaques: A
memorial plaque can be attached to the base. The front of the base will
fit a plaque up to 17" wide x 6.5" tall. The cost for a 17" x 6.5"
plaque is $475. Metal photos can be added for $90. Other
common sizes are 17" x 6 ($450) and 17" x 5" ($375). Many other shapes
and sizes are available. Email us for a firm quote.
Click here to see more example plaques
Click here for the USA Today
Article about this
sculpture.
Cost
A lot of time and money
goes into the creation of a
bronze sculpture like this.
However, we created this
sculpture because we wanted
to make a contribution to
our fallen soldiers. We want
this piece to be displayed
in every VFW, American
Legion, park and public
square in the country.
Therefore, we are pricing
this very reasonably and
offer discounts for families
of fallen soldiers.
A monument sculpture of this
kind would normally sell for
$10,000 - $15,000. However,
our price for this sculpture is only $4995. That includes
free shipping anywhere in
the lower 48 United States.
If you are a family member
of someone lost in war we
will reduce the price to $4400. We also include as
family members the same
military unit where the
fallen soldier served. (click
here for more information)
About the Artist
This sculpture was
designed by Richard Rist.
Mr. Rist is the owner of The
Large Art Company and a
proud veteran of the US
Navy. He is a member of the
American Legion and a
life-member of the VFW. He
comes from a long line of
military veterans. His
grandfather, father and
three uncles were all
veterans and his brother
James Rist served with the
US Army in operation Desert
Storm. He takes great pride
that this sculpture has been
used to pay tribute to so
many fallen heroes.
To order
Please call us toll free
at (800) 785-4278 to reserve
one of these for you. These
are made one at a time. A
new piece will take about
2-4 weeks although we
generally keep at least one
available. We can ship to
most areas of the country
within a week.
We accept most forms of
payment including credit
cards, checks or government
purchase orders. We are a
certified US Government
contractor to streamline
federal agency purchases.
Installation
There are many options
to display this sculpture. This sculpture is cast from high quality bronze and
with minimal care it is built to last for hundreds of years indoors or out.
Indoors it could be placed
on the floor as it is, or elevated on a table or pedestal. We also offer nice
bronze plaques that can be affixed to the base. Call or email us for additional
information.
Outdoors it could be
displayed in a number of ways. An inexpensive yet elegant display would be to
build a concrete pedestal slightly larger than the base and about 3 feet tall.
It could then be mounted onto the pedestal using simple lag bolts that attach
under the sculpture and out of view. Again we can make a handsome bronze plaque
with the wording of your choice. It could also be used as a part of a larger
display or as a grave marker. We can provide you with very clear installation
instructions upon purchase or
click here for installation instructions.
God Bless Our Troops!
Click
here for the USA Today Article about this sculpture. |