{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O153328"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O153328/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2026PT6439/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2026PT6439/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2026PT6439","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PT6438","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PT6440","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O153328/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O153328","accessionNumber":"45-1905","objectType":"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 metalwares 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, or overlaid with silver wires hammered onto a cross-hatched surface. This example is unusual in being inlaid only with brass. 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. This piece was bought from Messrs Hagop Kevorkian & Co. by the South Kensington Museum in 1905 for £7 10s.","physicalDescription":"Body of compressed spherical form with short neck; bidri inlaid with brass, Deccan, mid 17th century.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"brass","id":"AAT10946"},{"text":"bidri","id":"AAT54014"}],"techniques":[{"text":"inlaid","id":"AAT53850"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Bidri inlaid with brass","categories":[{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2026PT6439","2026PT6438","2026PT6440"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES374898"},"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":"mid 17th century","earliest":"1625-01-01","latest":"1675-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Bought from Messrs Fairbanks, Lavender & Son of Walsal","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"19.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"18.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Bought from Messrs Hagop Kevorkian & Co by the South Kensington Museum in 1905 for £7.10s.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Domestic huqqa base, bidri, with brass inlaid decoration. Deccan, mid-17th century","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Susan Stronge, Bidri Ware. Inlaid Metalwork form India, V&A, 1985, cat. 4, p. 42 (illustrated p. 43)."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"HUQQA BASE: Bidri inlaid with brass, Deccan, mid 17th century.","date":{"text":"Nehru Gallery,2001","earliest":"2001-01-01","latest":"2001-12-31"}},{"text":"17. HUQQA BASE\r\nBidri inlaid with brass\r\nDeccan\r\nMid 17th century\r\n\n45-1905","date":{"text":"27/9/2013","earliest":"2013-09-27","latest":"2013-09-27"}}],"partNumbers":["45-1905"],"accessionNumberNum":"45","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1905,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-09-26","recordCreationDate":"2008-04-24","availableToBook":false}}