Discover the story behind the craft.

The name Bidriware derives from Bidar, the historic Deccan town that became the capital of the Bahmani Sultanate in the fifteenth century. The craft is generally associated with the courtly artistic culture that developed there under Bahmani patronage and later flourished through the region’s continuing links with Persianate design traditions. A commonly repeated account attributes an early role to Abdullah bin Kaiser, a craftsman from Iran who was invited to Bidar and worked with local artisans; this should be treated as a traditional attribution rather than a conclusively documented origin story. Over generations, Bidri artisans developed a distinct local metalworking practice in which silver inlay is dramatically revealed against a chemically blackened zinc-rich alloy. The craft has been sustained by hereditary knowledge and workshop practice in Bidar, with motifs drawing on Deccani, floral, geometric and Islamic decorative vocabularies. Its refined surface, labour-intensive inlay and ceremonial appearance made it a valued decorative art and an important Indian metal handicraft.

Keep dry and display indoors. Dust with a soft, dry microfibre cloth. Do not soak, scrub, use abrasive polish, acids, metal cleaners or harsh chemicals, as these can damage the black finish and silver inlay. Avoid prolonged handling with wet hands and store wrapped in soft, dry cloth away from humidity. For tarnished silver or damaged blackening, use a specialist familiar with Bidriware rather than conventional metal-polishing services.