Handcrafted Indian Enamel Jewellery gives an informative account of the history of crafting enamels in India from the time of the Mughals to the present in an easy reader-friendly manner calculated to arouse the interest of the reader. The book traces the origin and development of Indian enamel jewellery, which is interwoven with legend, lore, history and culture. The many-hued metals, gems and enchanting enamels used as adornment and for decorative purposes are written about with deep insight discussing the techniques and styles found in India. The craft of Indian has been preserved for posterity in paintings, sculptures and books.
Beauty and glamour are the enduring qualities of iewellerv. Kundall and enamelling are two outstanding forms of crafting jewellery. While kundan is used to decorate the front of an ornament, enamelling is used for decorating both sides.Enamelling not only enhances the value and beauty of jewcllery, but also serves as a parameter to test the purity of precious metals.
Introduced by the Europeans,enamelling was widely used during the Mughal period. The best specimens of enamelled jcwellcry have been produced during this period. Surprisingly,little has been written abom this art. Handcrafted Indian Enamel .kwelle(v examines the history and varied techniques of enamelling,and also discusses techniques that closely resemble enamelling,but are distinct fl'om it. With time, the art of enamelling has deteriorated, yet the demand for quality work, found only in old pieces, may lend a new lease of life to this art form.