Decorative Elephant Big - Bidri Wire work

Details

If unique home decor centrepieces mesmerize you, the Decorative Elephant Big - Bidri Wire work is no exception. Let your home be decorated on your favourite spots with this designer Bidriware handicraft in the most exotic way. It is a classic representation of the age-old Bidri metal handicraft that till today chisels amazing artefacts for the purpose of home decoration.

Featuring the typical wire work design, this breath-taking piece of creativity has been crafted from the alloy of zinc and copper. It is the high percentage of zinc that gives this Bidriware a peculiar gunpowder finish and an evenly smooth surface. The minute designs are complemented by the use of sterling silver metal attributed to remarkable shine and unsurpassed contrast works.

It is rust-free as well as non-corrosive and this beautiful decorative article can go on for years together. Treasure this stunning Bidri handicraft for a lifetime. As it is a unique gift idea, you can have this one gifted to your special friends or relatives on their special days like birthdays and anniversaries or on religious occasions.

About Bidri Art

The Bidri Art is identified as one of the most popular metal handicrafts that originated in Bidar region of Karnataka. It was first introduced during the rule of the Bahamani Sultans in around 14th century C.E. The township of Bidar lends the art its name Bidriware and it is still a prominent centre for crafting intriguing metallic products.

The handmade Bidri products are valued as a symbol of wealth. The metal used in Bidri products is a blackened alloy copper and zinc inlaid with fine sheets of pure silver metal. The fine motifs and the wirework with which Bidriware is laced, gives the products a unique definition altogether. Moreover, Bidri handicraft products are in great demand in the export market due to its gorgeous inlay work.

Procedure

Unique Bidriware products are handcrafted from an alloy of copper and zinc by casting in the ratio 1:16. While the zinc content gives the alloy a rich jet black colour, copper provides it with a noticeable lustre and robustness.

A mould of soil is made malleable by adding resin and castor oil. After the molten metal has been poured into this mould, the cast piece is smoothened by filing for a shiny look and feel. This casting is coated with a concentrated solution of copper sulphate that provides it with a temporary black coating on which the designs are etched freehand.

The designs are usually the typical poppy flowers and vine creepers, stars and Ashrafi-ki-booti. Some may also feature traditional motifs in the form of Arabic script or the Persian Rose.

The casting is then securely placed in a clamp to engrave it with intricate motifs using small chisels. Its grooves are then carefully hammered with flattened strips of pure silver metal or fine wires for a desired look

Before the Bidriware artefact could be sold out in the market it is filed, chiselled, polished and smoothened to remove deformities caused due to the black coating. This process results in a strikingly noticeable silver inlay shining on a dark metallic background.

Region

The art of Bidri handicraft is widely practised in Bidar, Karnataka as well as in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. Purnia in Bihar, Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh and Murshidabad in West Bengal are few of the other regions of the country that produce excellent Bidri products.