Moradabad Metal Craft are modern, attractive, and artistic brass ware, jewellery and trophies made by skilled artisans of Moradabad from Uttar Pradesh. With time new products with metals like iron, aluminium, nickel and silver are also made from these handicraft units.
The designs made on the brass products here display culture, heritage, history and diversity. The patterns and designs used for decorating these items are inspired from a variety of sources, varying from Hindu Gods and Goddesses to paintings of the Mughal Era.
Image Credit : www.odopup.in
The artisans use drawings from Mughal time monuments, animals used for riding like elephant and horse, narration of scenes like King travelling or hunting on the back of Horse or Elephant and flowers & natural vegetation. The influence of red, blue, green, yellow and firozi colours can be noticed.
Sand based metal casting process is used in making metal handicraft items. The sand mold casted goods are produced by forming a mold cavity from a sand mixture and pouring molten liquid metal into the cavity in the mold. The mold is then cooled until the metal has solidified and then separated from the mold. Electroplating technique is used for changing surface properties.
The product spectrum of Moradabad Metal Craft is very wide. The metal(s) and alloys used, dimensions of the good, and designs on and of the metal craft all depend upon the specifications provided in the orders received from buyers. The product spectrum can be segregated on the basis of techniques used, metal type and the product types.
Mostly the items are made using the alloys of Brass. The inferior quality brass alloys also contains Nickel. Various quality of Brass used are:
- Cap Copper - 95% Cu, 5% Zn
- Guilding Metal CZ101 - 90% Cu, 10% Zn
- Guilding Metal CZ102 - 85% Cu, 15% Zn.
- Brass - 80% Cu, 20% Zn.
- Cartridge Brass - 70% Cu, 30% Zn.
- 2 and 1 Brass - 65% Cu, 35% Zn.
- Common Brass - 63% Cu, 37% Zn
The knowledge of small tricks is transmitting orally from one generation to the other in the Moradabad Metal Craft. The only tangible characteristic of Moradabad Metal Craft is Ram Ganga sand which is used in casting. The artisans claim that the sand at the river banks in Moradabad district is very fine and is very helpful in metal casting process.
The goods manufactured at Moradabad have lighter weight in comparison to the metal goods manufactured elsewhere. The light weight is achieved by pealing of the extra metal from inner side of the good. The goods are finished from the inner sider too which does not get visible.
The district has domestic units as well as large industries engaged in the manufacture of metal goods. The work of washing, shaping and polishing handicraft metal items is carried out in the domestic units.
GI Tag Registration Date : 31 March 2014
GI Tag Number : 161
Certificate Number : 205
Geographical Area : Uttar Pradesh
Special Cover Release Date : 29 September 2021
Cancellation : Moradabad 244 001
Type : GI Tag - ODOP Cover
Cover Identification Number : UP/73/2021
This cover is primarily issued as part of promotion for UP State One District One Product initiative. However it is also a GI Tagged Product with GI Tag details on back side of the cover.
Enlarged View of Illustration
Enlarged view of Cancellation
Back Side Scan
India post has also issued few special covers on Moradabad Metal Craft, details of the same are furnished below. (Not an exhaustive list, but only items from my collection)
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