Decorative Lacquer Urns (Pair)

About this piece

Decorative Lacquer Urns (Pair) — A pair of tall lidded urns in copper and teal. Made by hand from sheesham (rosewood) and coloured lac and finished in naqshi lac, the pattern scratched back through the colour, in the Sillanwali Handicrafts workshop in Sillanwali, Sargodha, Punjab, Pakistan. It costs PKR 6,000 for the pair — two matching pieces. It is ready to ship and delivered within 3 to 4 days anywhere in Pakistan, paid in cash on delivery.

A pair of tall lidded urns, each turned in one piece and finished in copper-toned lac with teal banding, the whole surface cut back into fine repeating detail. This is the workshop at its most patient. The urn is turned on the khraad and the lac is melted onto it by friction while it spins, layer over layer; then, still turning, the artisan opens the surface with the sathrī, the iron tool that opens the furrow so the colour underneath comes up as a line. Covering a body this tall in continuous worked detail takes far longer than a plate or a box, and the bands have to stay true as the diameter changes from foot to shoulder to neck. The lid lifts by a turned finial. They are made to be looked at rather than opened — floor pieces beside a console or a fireplace, or shelf pieces where the height has room. Sold as a pair because the colour depth and the density of the cut line only match across two urns worked in the same run. Made in Sillanwali, Sargodha. Dust with a soft dry cloth and keep them out of direct sunlight so the copper and the teal stay true; water, polish sprays and chemical cleaners lift lac. A name or a date can be worked into the banding on request.

Every piece is made by hand, so the wood grain, carving and colour vary a little from the photo. That variation is normal and is what makes each one its own.