Bidri ware
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Biddery Ware is the ware of tin, copper, lead, and zinc, made at Bidar, in India.
This article incorporates text from the public domain 1907 edition of The Nuttall Encyclopaedia.
The ancient and eye-catching craft of Bidri entered India more than 4000 years ago from the culture-rich Persians, Syrians and Iranians. Bidri craftsmen were patronized in the Mughlai courts and settled down to practice their craft in the fortress town of Bidar in Karnataka, giving the craft its name. It originated with the ornamentation of royal swords and other weapons, and was later applied to domestic use in items like cigar and cigarette boxes.
The Making of Bidri :
Behind the breathtaking beauty of Bidri lies hours of painstaking effort by the artisan. The original technique involved the inlaying of gold or silver on a steel or copper base. This method had its origins in Persia. However, the metal used for the base today is an alloy of zinc and copper. The content of zinc gives the alloy a deep black color. It is engraved or overlaid with silver or brass. After casting and moulding, the surface is filed smooth till it acquires the typical Bidri sheen. It is then temporarily blackened with copper sulphate solution and etched into a traditional design using a sharp iron tool. Silver wire or sheets are beaten into the designed grooves, making it stand out like the stars in the night sky. During the final oxidation process, the shiny surface is briefly heated and rubbed with a thick paste of ammonium chloride. The chemical is supposedly mixed with a special clay from the walls of the Bidar Fort. The final step is using groundnut or coconut oil to polish each item, which may be a vase, bangle, bracelet, goblet, ashtray, plate, Jewellery or box.
Where to Shop for Bidri :
1. Sheela's Indian Handicrafts Specialists 17, Lal Bahadur Stadium, HYD 500 001 Ph: 236944
2. Society Emporium 1-2-235, S.D. Road, Sickbed 500 003
3. Bidri Crafts 5-9-322/4, Gun foundry, HYD 500 001 Ph : 232657 Fax : 040-233663
4. Mahboob Bidri Works 10-5-1/2, Masab Tank, Opp. Diamond Sweet House Hyd 500 028 Ph : 221552
5. Cauvery Karnataka State Arts & Crafts Emporium Seven Hills Plaza, S.D. Road, Sec'bad 500 003
6. Central Cottage Industries Emporium 94, Minerva Complex, S.D. Road, Sec'bad 500 003
7. Crafts Museum Calcutta Emporium Behind Lepakshi, Gunfoundry, HYD 500 001
8. Kalanjali Arts & Crafts 5-10-194, Hill Fort Road, Saifabad, HYD 500 004 Ph: 231147
9. Lepakshi Handicrafts Emporium Gun foundry, HYD 500 001 Ph: 235028
10. Sheela's Indian Handicrafts Specialists 17, Lal Bahadur Stadium, HYD 500 001 Ph: 236944
11. Society Emporium 1-2-235, S.D. Road, Sickbed 500 003
12. Lepakshi Handicrafts Emporium, 94, Minerva Complex, S.D.Road, Sickbed 500 003
