Description:

The slender, minimalist form of the Balance vase with its pure, unembellished surface, is an ode to the craft of bidri. This centuries-old craft, with a rich Indo-Persian history is most often associated with highly decorative silver inlay work on a black metal base. Taking the inlay technique to be bidri is a common misunderstanding. Bidri in fact, refers to the meticulous and geographically specific process of treating the zinc alloy base metal with a layer of clay, a specific kind found only in Bidar. The clay works with the zinc to create the black patina that is uniquely bidriware.