Provenance & Process
Made by Hand,
Without Compromise
Every AscendaCo piece follows a process unchanged for a thousand years in the Kathmandu Valley. No machines, no shortcuts, no mass production. Each object passes through the hands of multiple master artisans before it leaves our workshop.
Wax Sculpting
A master sculptor models the original form in beeswax over two to three weeks. Every fold of a robe, every expression, every finger is shaped by hand. The wax figure becomes the soul of the final bronze.
Lost-Wax Casting
The wax form is encased in layers of fine clay and fired in a kiln. As the wax melts away, it leaves a perfect negative. Molten bronze at 1,200°C fills the void. The mold is broken — each cast is unique, unrepeatable.
Chasing & Detailing
Once cooled, the raw bronze is refined by hand. Master chasers use traditional tools to bring out fine details — the curl of hair, the line of a mudra, the texture of a lotus petal. This stage alone takes days.
Gilding & Consecration
Gold leaf is applied by hand under natural light — layer by layer until the surface glows. Finally, a mantric syllable is sealed inside by a practicing monk, consecrating the piece and giving it spiritual life.
Materials
The Matter of Making
Bronze Alloy
Copper, tin, and zinc — the traditional Newari formula unchanged for centuries.
Beeswax
Sourced locally for the lost-wax models — its warmth and pliability are essential to sculptural precision.
Gold Leaf
Hand-beaten sheets applied in the traditional fire-gilding method under daylight.
Mineral Pigments
Ground stone — lapis lazuli, malachite, cinnabar — mixed with yak-skin glue for thangka painting.
Seven Metals
Gold, silver, mercury, copper, iron, tin, lead — each representing a celestial body.
Hand-Sized Cotton Canvas
Canvas for thangka is hand-woven and primed with a chalk and glue mixture, then burnished smooth.
Guarantees
Every Piece, Verified
Certificate of Provenance
Every piece ships with a signed document recording the artisan, materials, process, and consecration details.
Artisan-Signed
Each work is signed or documented back to the artisan who made it in Bhaktapur.
Consecrated
A final ritual blessing completes the object before it leaves the atelier.
Heirloom Guarantee
Our heirloom guarantee covers every piece for life.
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Each AscendaCo work ships with a signed Certificate of Provenance documenting the artisan, materials, and process.
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