Recasting Missing Parts at the Philadelphia Foundry (23864986589)

Once the bronze castings are adequately cooled, they are completely freed from their ceramic shells. All gates protruding from the sculptural elements are sawed off. The surface of the bronze pieces is smoothed and refined by a process called chasing, which involves hammering, filing, and polishing.
Full details on the Grant Memorial Restoration project are at www.aoc.gov/Grant.