Why Does a Naqshi Lacquer Lamp Look Different When It Is Lit?
Why a hand-cut naqshi lacquer lamp base looks deeper when lit, how the pattern is cut on a curve, and why the lamps are sold as a matched pair.
Short answer: a naqshi lamp base is cut by hand through layers of coloured lac, so its lines are real furrows, not print. When the lamp is lit, light from the shade falls across the surface and the cut lines catch shadow, so the pattern looks deeper in the evening instead of flattening like a printed base. The Wooden Lacquer Table Lamps cost PKR 10,000 for the pair.
What happens to the pattern when the lamp is switched on?
The pattern gains depth. Every line on the base is a small furrow opened through the colour, so when light from the shade falls across the curved body, each cut takes a little shadow. The product page puts it simply: lit, the pattern deepens in the evening rather than flattening the way a printed lamp base does.
A printed or painted base has nothing for the light to catch. It looks the same at noon and at night. A hand-cut base changes with the light, which is why it is worth looking at again once the room is dark.
How is the lamp body made?
Each body is turned from sheesham on the khraad, built up in layers of coloured lac while it spins, and then opened by hand with the sathri, the iron tool that cuts the furrow. Because the pattern is cut into the lac rather than laid on top, it belongs to the wood instead of sitting on it like a printed film.
For the full story of the craft, read our guide to naqshi lacquer woodcraft.
What is naqshi lacquer woodcraft?
Why is cutting a curve harder than cutting a flat panel?
On a flat panel, a band of pattern stays the same width from one end to the other. A lamp body is a curve, so its diameter keeps changing from the foot to the waist to the shoulder.
The product page explains the consequence: the bands have to be judged against that changing diameter. A line that reads evenly at the waist will crowd at the shoulder unless the artisan compensates as he cuts. That judgement, made by eye while the piece turns, is what keeps the pattern looking balanced all the way round.
Why are they sold as a pair?
Two lamps either side of a bed or a console only look right if they match. With hand-cut lac, they only match if they were lacquered and cut in the same run. That is why the lamps are sold as a pair: two matching pieces, made together.
What comes with the lamps?
Each lamp is supplied with the shade shown, a metal base and the fitting. The bodies are sheesham (rosewood) and coloured lac, made in the Sillanwali workshop in Sargodha.
How do you look after them?
- Dust with a soft, dry cloth.
- Keep water, chemical cleaners and polish sprays off the lac.
- Keep them out of direct sunlight and away from heat, so the colours stay true.
Still choosing a lamp? Our buying guide covers what to look for.
How to choose a naqshi lacquer table lamp
Shop the lacquer table lamps
Wooden Lacquer Table Lamps (Pair): PKR 10,000 for the pair. https://sillanwalihandicrafts.com/products/lacquer-table-lamp
Frequently asked questions
- Can I buy just one lamp?
- The lamps are sold as a pair, because two lamps only match if they are lacquered and cut in the same run.
- Is the shade included?
- Yes. Each lamp comes with the shade shown, a metal base and the fitting.
- Will my pair look exactly like the photo?
- The design will be the same, but each lamp is made by hand, so grain, pattern and colour vary a little from the photo. The two in a pair are cut in the same run so they match each other.
- How much is shipping?
- At the time of writing, the product page shows standard shipping of PKR 400 added to your total, with delivery by Leopards in 3 to 4 days anywhere in Pakistan.