{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O153325"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O153325/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EJ1807/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EJ1807/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2010EJ1807","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O153325/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O153325","accessionNumber":"IS.2539-1883","objectType":"Domestic huqqa base","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This base for a water pipe (huqqa) was made in the Deccan region of India in the mid-17th century and belongs to a class of metalware known as \"bidri\". Bidri is a technique known only in the Indian subcontinent, and takes its name from the city of Bidar, in the present-day state of Karnataka, where it is thought to have originated. Its origins are unknown, but surviving pieces date from the late 16th or early 17th century. Bidri objects are cast from an alloy in which zinc predominates, though small amounts of lead, copper and tin may also be found. The decoration may be inlaid with silver, or silver and brass, as here, or overlaid with silver wires hammered onto a cross-hatched surface. The final stage of the process is to apply a saline mud paste over the entire surface which changes the dull grey of the alloy to a matt black without affecting the decoration. The exact chemical process which takes place is still unidentified. After removal of the mud paste, the surface of the piece would be rubbed with oil.","physicalDescription":"Body of compressed spherical shape; bidri inlaid with silver and brass cypress trees and blossoming plants.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"silver","id":"AAT11029"},{"text":"brass","id":"AAT10946"},{"text":"zinc","id":"AAT11037"}],"techniques":[{"text":"inlay (process)","id":"AAT53850"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Bidri ware inlaid with silver, zinc, brass","categories":[{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2010EJ1807"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"BY001","id":"THES404112"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Huqqa base","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Deccan","id":"x31972"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"late 17th century to early 18th century","earliest":"1650-01-01","latest":"1750-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"17.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"17","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Bought in India by Caspar Purdon Clarke on his purchasing trip for the museum in 1881-1882.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Huqqa base for domestic use, bidri, Deccan, late 17th or early 18th century","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Susan Stronge: Bidri Ware, Inlaid Metal work from India, V & A Museum, 1985.pp 45."},{"reference":{"text":"Jackson, Anna and Ji Wei (eds.) with Rosemary Crill, Ainsley M. Cameron and Nicholas Barnard, compiled by the Palace Museum, translated by Yuan Hong, Qi Yue and Liu Ran. <u>The Splendour of India' Royal Courts : Collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum</u>. Beijing: the Forbidden City Publishing House, 2013. Text in English and Chinese. ISBN 9787513403917.","id":"AUTH325369"},"details":"pps. 56 and 57","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"cypress trees","id":"x35921"},{"text":"flowers","id":"x35571"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"HUQQA BASE: Bidri inlaid with silver and brass, Deccan or Northern India, early 18th century\r\n\r\n18. HUQQA BASE\r\nBidri inlaid with silver and brass\r\nDeccan or Northern India\r\nSecond half of the 17th century\r\n\r\nIS.2539-1883","date":{"text":"27/9/2013","earliest":"2013-09-27","latest":"2013-09-27"}}],"partNumbers":["IS.2539-1883"],"accessionNumberNum":"2539","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1883,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2020MP2143"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-06-10","recordCreationDate":"2008-04-24","availableToBook":false}}