181

GROUP  VIIL—WOOD  INDUSTRY.

SECTION  I.—CARPENTERS’  AND  CABINET  WORK;  VENEERS
CUT,  TURNED,  CHISEL,  AND  CARVED  WORK.

Note  on  Inlaid  Work.
This  work,  according  to  Framjee  Heerjeebhoy  and
other  craftsmen  of  the  trade,  was  imported  into
Bombay  from  Persia  through  Scinde,  and  it  seems
from  inquiries  made  by  Dr.  Birdwood  on  a  previous
  occasion,  that  they  all  agree  in  naming  Shiraz
as  the  place  from  which  it  emanated.  Three  Mooltanees,
  Devidas  and  Vulleeram,  brothers,  and  Pershotum
  Heeralal,  were  the  first,  it  would  seem,
who  settled  about  a  hundred  years  ago  in  Scinde,
where  Kuntaree  or  Soortee  people  acquired  the  art
under  them,  and  came  to  Bombay  about  sixty  years
ago,  from  whence  they  spread  to  Surat,  Baroda,
and  other  places.  The  trade  now  is  merely  imitative, ­
  new  geometrical  combinations  are  seldom
thought  of,  the  workers  Content  themselves  with
simply  eopying  the  forms  which  were  imported
from  Persia.  Manoredas,  Nundlal,  Lalchund,  Thawurdas,
  Ruttonjee,  Pranvulubh,  and  Narrondas  are
said  to  have  been  the  first  who  introduoed  the  work
into  Bombay.  A  number  of  Parsees  and  Soortees
have  since  been  educated  by  them.  Dr.  Birdwood
gives  a  list  of  fifty  shops  now  carrying  on  the
business  in  Bombay,  giving  employment  to  about  a
hundred  and  twenty  people.
This  work  is  composed  of  the  following  materials
  :—Ivory,  which  is  always  white;  Samber  Horn
(Sawursing)  which  is  always  green;  the  colour  is
produeed  by  steeping  it  in  verdigris  dissolved  in
lemon  juice,  toddy,  or  vinegar.
Sandal-wood  used  in  its  natural  colour.
Ebony,  on  account  of  its  colour.
Pattung—Sappan-wood—according  to  Dr.  Birdwood ­
  “the  wood  of  Csesalpinia  Sappan.”  This
wood  is  of  a  rieh  burnt  sienna  colour,  and  seems  to
have  been  unknown  to  the  Persian  workers,  as  vermilion
  is  substituted  for  it.
Mineral—Tin  (the  Persians  use  brass  instead),  in
imitation  of  silver.  This  is  generally  purchased
round,  and  passed  through  a  roller  known  by  the
name  of  Rät,  the  lower  wheel  of  which  is  cut  in
several  places,  forming  more  or  less  acute  angles,
the  upper  wheel  being  smooth  ;  the  tin  issues  from
it  in  a  triangulär  shape.  This  and  all  the  other
materi  ds  partake  of  the  shape  of  the  square,  the
rhombus,  the  isosceles  equilateral  and  right  angle
triangles.  Segmental  forms  are  sometimes  given
to  the  ivory,  sandal-wood,  and  ebony  filling  in
ground,  so  as  to  admit  of  circular  designs.  The
tin  employed  is  sometimes  round,  when  used  as  a
border,  and  is  then  known  as  “  Ekdani,”  which
means  one  line,  and  forms  a  succession  of  round
dots.  The  sandal-wood  is  never  introduced  in  borders,
  but  is  employed  in  the  larger  patterns;  the
materials  are  glued  together  into  various  geometrical
forms,  consisting  of  circles,  hexagons,  the  square,
the  rhombus,  and  the  triangle;  the  glue  usually
used  in  preference  to  all  others  is  Ahmedabad  glue,

which  is  considered  by  native  workers  stronger  than
any  manufactured  in  the  country  or  imported  from
Europe.  It  is  dissolved  in  brandy  or  spirits  of  wine.
The  length  of  the  pieces  glued  together  is  generally
two  feet,  and  these  are  sawn  off  in  sections  with
delicate  saws  in  widths  varying  between  the  15th
and  20th  part  of  an  inch.  These  are  glued  on  to
sandal-wood  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch  thick,  the
latter  is  fastened  on  to  black-wood  (Sissoo),  teakwood
  (Saag),  or  deal  (Deodar).  Not  unfrequently
the  whole  box  is  made  of  Sandal-wood,  but  this  adds
materially  to  the  expense.  Some  of  the  designs  are
known  under  the  names  of—
Mhotee  Kutkee-no-gool—A  design  of  comparatively
  large  hexagons.  The  prefix  Kutkee  is  applied
to  the  work  when  sandal-wood  and  ebony  are  introduced. ­

Adhee  Dhar-no-gool-—The  rhombus.
Tun  Dhar-no-gool—The  triangle.
Chorus-gool—The  square  or  matting  pattem.
Gool—Round.
Poro  Hansio,  Jafran  Marapeck,  Sankro  Hansio,
Lehero,Jeri,  Ekdani,  and  Baelmootana  are  names
applied  to  borders.
A  cheap  white  wood  known  as  “  Dooblo  ”  has  been
tried  as  a  Substitute  for  ivory,  but  its  use  has  been
discontinued,  as  it  does  not  answer;  it  is  however
still  used  in  the  Ceylon  inlaid  woodwork.
Madras  Committee.
Rosewood  box.  Inlaid  with  other  woods.  From
Mysore.
Book  slide,  paper  weight,  and  paper  cutter.  Ivory
and  sandal-wood.  From  Vizagapatam.
Necklaces  (2).  Sandal-wood  beads.  From  Madras.
Glove  boxes  (3).  Carved  sandal-wood.  From
Canara.
Card-cases  (2),  and  book  covers  (1  pair).  Carved
sandal-wood.  From  Shemoga,  Mysore.
Pith  models  of  temples  (2).  From  Trichinopoly.
Shola  pith  figures  (6).  From  the  pith  of  iEschynomene
  aspera.  From  Tanjore.
Messrs.  Deschamps  and  Co.,  Madras.
Inlaid  table  top.  Showing  the  various  woods  used
in  cabinetwork  in  Madras.
Sevararniah.  Carved  cocoa-nut,  mounted  on  silver.
From  Ganjam.
Major  Buckle,  R.A.,  Madras.
Writing  paper  case,  made  of  an  elephant’s  foot.
Bombay  Committee.
Collection  of  ivory  inlaid  work,  consisting  of:—
Card  cases.  Card  trays.
Paper-cutters.  Paper  weights.
Money  boxes,  glove  boxes,  and  wafer  boxes.