With over 3000 years of history, the art of bone inlay is one of the great traditions of Indian artisan craftsmanship.
The craftsman starts by reclaiming the bones of an animal which has passed away from a natural cause. Afterwards, the bones are thoroughly washed before it is carefully hand-cut and laid piece by piece on furniture.The results are exquisite patterns, where no two embellishments are the same.
Does ancient artisanal craftwork have a place in modern society? How does incorporating ancient artistry enrich our idea of modernity?
The process of inlaying begins with a design or pattern which is carved out from a material. In our case it’s either mother of pearl or cruelty-free polished bone from camels that have died of natural causes, but it can be done with wood, metal, marble and ivory.
Then, with a base object (our furnishings are wood), impressions are made to match said pattern or design so that the delicate pieces of bone can be meticulously inserted onto the surface. The carved bone pieces are then surrounded by contrasting resin for an immaculately smooth finish.
Each bone chip is individually cut and shaped or pigmented. Given the porosity and different densities in bone, each chip may absorb colour differently.
A pattern may have to be altered and scaled according to the piece. When ordering a custom size, please be mindful of the changes to the style, design edges and patterns. Please ask us for a full pattern drawing for an additional fee if you need one.
Bone chips are set in resin/epoxy to create the even surface. The resin when coloured can have slight discoloration and drying marks. Also please note there may be shade differences in epoxy as it done in a sustainable and artisanal fashion of color mixing and sun drying the piece. The warmer the temperature of curing epoxy, the faster it cures. However, lesser the sun light, the longer it may take !
Handcrafted from start to finish by artisans who have learnt techniques passed down through generations, no two pieces of bone inlay furniture are the same. Regardless of the size or inlay pattern, these furnishings take a minimum of three weeks to produce and require remarkable levels of patience, neatness, artistry and expertise.
