540 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, [July, 1907.] 



\ 



of saltpetre, nitre, borax, and sal ammoniac, which produces a rial 

 and permanent black. When the blackening process is finished, 

 the whole is cleaned and given a final polish with mustard or 

 rape-seed oil. 



The price of the finished article varies with the thickness of 

 the silver leaf employed. In the cheapest kind' of work, the 

 roughness of the Bider can be seen through the inlaid leaf, and 

 the definition is not so sharp as in the higher grades, in which the 

 silver presents a very smooth, highlj-polished surface. Many of 

 the patterns must, of course, have been handed down from bygone 

 generations, but I am inclined to attribute the majority of those I 

 have seen to the fertile invention of Mohan Sonar, who appears to 

 yary the design with every article produced. 



. . A common pattern is formed of flowers with eight petals^ 

 interspersed with lines, and festoons and spirals of small leaves ; 

 but the more expensive articles exhibit great diversity of design, 



Mohan and his brother, Makund Lai Sonar, also practise the 

 art of inlaying gold on silver, gold on Bider, and silver on copper. 

 The last method is usnally employed in the manufacture of 

 Serposhes. 



Bidri work, as far as Purneah is concerned, is a dying craft. 

 None of the artizans who gain their living by the various processes 

 are willing to instruct their children in the art. There is a plen- 

 tiful market for the ware, but the margin of profit is small, and 

 out of all proportion to the tedium of the work. The engravers 

 and inlayers are dependent for their material on three middle- 

 aged Kanseris, who are resolved to let the art of preparing the 

 Bider die with them. The inlayers are quite ignorant of the 

 method of preparation of the amalgum, so much so that several of 

 them told me that lead formed the chief ingredient. 



Unless, tberefore, steps are taken to ensure a succession of 

 skilled craftsmen, the industry cannot last another twenty years- 



< 



A list of the artizans of Purneah District employed in the 



manufacture of Bidri ware, 



u 



Melting, casting and f^^*^?' ^anseri, of Belauri. 



turning 1 -^^^3^ n »» 



°' V^Udhu Sau Kanseri, of Katihar. 



Designing, engraving, ( Jf^^^. ^onar, of Purneah. 

 andin£yin|. ^' j Bulaki Knrmi; 



CKantar Kurmi, of Kasba. 



/^Chedi Kurmi, of Purneah. 

 Engraving and in- ) Guhi 



?» t> 



laying. 1 Nawal Kishore Kurmi, of Kaliganj. 



V^ Makund Lai Sonar, of Purneah. 



I could find no trace of the Dhannks, Sunris, and Mahommed- 



ana, mentioned by Sir W. W. Hunter as engaged in this manufac- 

 ture. 



