Bracelet with Filigree Work

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Delicate-looking hardness : a queer contrast that the cobweb like textured filigree-patterning and the strong silver-base reveal, is the essential beauty of this bracelet. One of the finest examples of the world’s best cultures synthesizing at a smith’s workshop into a single piece of jewellery this bracelet has been cast using finest filigree patterning, a technique mainly of silver fabricating of Graeco-Roman origin most brilliantly used by Indian smiths now for ages, some of its production centres here, such as Cuttack in Orissa, or Karimnagar in Andhra, not having a match anywhere in the world, not even in the machine-work. Worn on the forearm a piece, as this bracelet, proudly proclaims that beauty is the product of synthesis of many streams that infuse their colours to create the rainbow; however mighty a single light, even the brightest sun or the coolest moon, it cannot create the rainbow’s beauty such as creates this necklace.

A rigid bracelet of Penannular type – a complete circle with some part left missing for widening its circumference when required, could be both a male and a female ornament, though rhythmic lyricism being its outstanding quality even on a male hand it shall reveal the same elegance, tenderness and grace as when worn on a feminine hand. Cast and textured as one-piece with four nail-heads like beads with sockets on the right and left of the central part, obviously added for projecting it, the bracelet looks like one as assembled from three pieces. Apart, this three-piece look is inherent also in the very design of the ornament. The two sides, right and left of the centre, reducing into taper not only have an appearance widely different from the central part but sharp curves defining the junctions in between them separate one from the other also visually. Three pairs of similarly designed nail-heads define the bracelet’s ends which without such defining feature would not create such visual effect.

Cast of 92.5% silver blended with rest 7.5% strengthening metals – the standard ratio of two sets of metals in sterling silver, the bracelet, a moderately thick sheet cut to a design, has a plain reverse with a fine well polished surface, and the obverse adorned with fine filigree, each pattern rendered with great beauty, rare precision, and each detail, laid with measured accuracy. Filigree is the transformation of technique into art. To begin with, the smith working with filigree technique first draws silver wire – silver being broadly the exclusive metal used in filigree patterning, in varying thickness, and then using the routine methods or techniques of pressing, twisting, plaiting, beading … turns this wire into a textured material which finally seeks to reveal variously designed patterns : floral and figural in particular often using the visual vocabulary of tendrils and creepers. These patterns are soldered on the base-plate – armature, and one can hardly imagine how delicate shall be the soldering of such delicate wires. An example of exceptionally fine filigree work the main field of the obverse side of this bracelet has been patterned with creeper-arabesques, and the edges, with a couple of border design.

This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr. Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of literature and is the author of numerous books on Indian art and culture. Dr. Daljeet is the curator of the Miniature Painting Gallery, National Museum, New Delhi. They have both collaborated together on a number of books. .