DHOKRA BRONZES

Antique lock in the shape of Hanuman

We have found some great tribal lost wax bronze castings made in the thousands of years old traditional way – some are recently made and some we purchased from a private collection of antiques.
Known as Dhokra, this is an ancient craft that scholars believe to be at least 4500 years old. Artisans in the Indian states of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa and West Bengal are still using this method to create jewelry, vessels, images of gods, goddesses, animals and birds and works from the imagination. Many are farmers who supplement their income in the summer months when the beeswax used to create the fine detail is supple and easy to work.

Using a coarse clay the artisan first makes a core vaguely resembling the end product. The clay core is hardened either by drying in the sun or