Author Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1888 edition. Excerpt:... in time of worship, small boxes, and kukri handles are articles generally carved out of wood in Nepal. In the Bombay Presidency wood-carving is now principallycarried on in Ahmadabad, Surat, and Canara. At Ahmadabad there are 800 families of carpenters, but yet the industry has greatly declined compared to what it was in former times. Mr. B. A. Gupte has kindly supplied the following account of the present state of wood-carving industry in the Bombay Presidency:--" The art of wood-carving was almost extinct in Ahmadabad, the only articles made being a few samples of elaborate flower-stands, picture-frames, card cases, &c., in blackwood, for the European visitors to that city, but by the enterprise of Mr. Lockwood de Forest, an American gentleman, a revival has taken place. He has started an establishment for the construction of carved furniture and panels, which are exported to New York by his local agent and manager, Mr. Maganbhai Hattising. About 60 to 80 carvers are employed, who are paid from one to three shillings a day. In addition to employing the best carvers available in Ahmadabad, men have been brought from Kadi, Patan, and Surat. The carvers from Patan are, as a rule, clever. Two cabinets, one bracket, four picture-frames, one flower-stand, and one inkstand have been purchased for the Glasgow International Exhibition, as examples of modern Ahmadabad work. Billimora, in the Baroda territory, possesses 15 to 20 families of carvers, and one Sorabji Jamasji of that town has contributed to the Glasgow International Exhibition a large collection of his manufactures. Wood-carving in teak wood for architectural purposes is still largely carried on at Surat, and there are several workshops in which doors, shutters, ceilings,...