I believe they are hammered...embossed. That are quite well done.
I used to see that sort of thing now and then a few years back at auctions.....thinking from maybe the 1930's?
Would love to see a picture of the back....

Here is a picture of the back. It looks more poured than hammered. There are bubbles in the metal. And, yes, they are very pretty with no flaws.

Here is a pic of the second one.

If it was poured/cast the metal would have found its level- all the same- and you would not see the impression from the back.

Yes....embossed. They were mass produced...or perhaps that might better be called "hobby produced"...there were patterns sold and you simply pressed, forced, hammered the copper onto the template. Some are done better than others and yours appears to be quite well done.

I found one of those too, and couldn't resist. My thread about it is below. Yours are lovely!

Karin L

Here is a link that might be useful: My metal picture

They are hammered...that was a very popular hobby/craft in the mid to late 50's. You could buy kits for that type of art in all the hobby stores in those days.

I wonder what they put on the back of the picture. It is bumpy and rough and makes the picture heavier. Almost like molded sand or something. That is why I thought it was poured, but it was just the marks in it from spreading it around.

Anyways,...thank you all for the comments!! I have learned alot.

Layce

Probably a plaster or plaster and glue mix....because the copper is very soft and malleable....could easily be dented.

The filling on the back could be pitch. In traditional "chasing and repousse" metalwork, most of the hammering is done from the back (pushing out, hence "repousse"). Then when it is time to add the finer incised details (chasing) from the front, the back is filled with melted pitch, otherwise the use of small tools hammered from the front would push the metal back in. Plus, as Linda says, it prevents the accidental ding from doing too much damage.

Even if you had a kit or a template, it's still an awful lot of work.

Found while browsing:

http://www.ebay.ch/itm/Original-Frieling-Zinn-Bild-Eiche-Holzrahmen-51-cm-x-44-cm-/251075738408?pt=Metallobjekte&hash=item3a7547bb28#ht_924wt_1165

http://www.ebay.ch/itm/Relief-Bildl-Herbst-Weinlese-Frieling-Zinn-/300746406246?pt=Metallobjekte&hash=item4605e1f966#ht_2105wt_1141

http://www.ebay.ch/itm/Handwerker-Schreiner-Zinnrelief-handwekliche-Wertarbeit-/221064047965?pt=Metallobjekte&hash=item337871ad5d#ht_3825wt_1081

http://www.ebay.ch/itm/Zinn-Relief-Bild-Stadtansicht-Rosenkavalier-Pewter-/230819549743?pt=Metallobjekte&hash=item35bdead22f#ht_2073wt_1398

Karin L