Silver Filigree:
Filigree, is an ancient art of crafting
jewelry with fine metal wires. The
famous Silver Filigree craft made in silver city Cuttack, Odisha. It is basically known as "Tarakasi "work
which is a rich traditional craft work of Odisha said to be over five hundred
years old.
This work is known and very popular because
of its unique design and quality, as the products are made of 90% or more pure
silver.
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| Silver Filigree work |
Process:
The process of making a silver filigree
product is very peculiar in character; for it does not involve carving,
engraving or molding a block of metal into jewelry, rather, building the
piece bit by bit, by joining hair thin silver wires.
These silver or gold are melted on a small
stove and then poured into a mold to make rods. These rods are inserted into
manual wire drawing machines with smaller and smaller apertures, resulting in
fine wires – the basic ingredients of filigree. The wires for outlines are
placed on the design sheet and shaped according to the drawing.
Designs:
Designs are first drafted on a piece of
paper, inspirations for which are derived from temples, the Konark wheel, god and
goddesses, flora and fauna , jewelries of Odissi Dancers.
Silver Filigree has been an important export
item of Odisha from ancient times and has been a symbol of excellence reached
by Odisha craftsmen.
