Bidri Indian Candle Holders
Suryaprakash Gowda and Vikram Sardesai have created a line of exquisite candle holders using an art known as Bidri
Bidri is an ancient art in which silver is inlaid into dark metal to create exquisite disgn effects. The actual chemica makeup of the work is alloy of 94% zinc and 6% copper.
The work derives its name from the town of Bidar, in Karnataka, India.
The way these pieces are made is that a metal alloy is made malleable with castor oil and resin and then is poured into a mold. The surface of the metal is then smoothed by hand, and rubbed with copper sulphate to make it temporarily black. This allows them to etch a design in the piece. Fine silver wire or flat sheeting is hammered into the etchings, and is then polished smooth.
The pieces are made permanently black by rubbing a compound made up of soil, ammonium chloride, and water, onto the piece while it is hot. This somehow darkens the metal, but leaves the silver unchanged.
A special thank you to Design Flute for making us aware of these beautiful products.
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