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For the home · Gifts
Hand-carved wooden furniture and boxes
Deep floral carving in dark wood, from a town of woodcarvers.
$30–200
Find Chinioti woodcarvers on Instagram ↗1 more place to buy ↓We earn nothing from this one. It is here because it belongs here.
The story
Chiniot, on the Chenab river, is Pakistan’s best-known town for carved wooden furniture. Its workshops turn out beds, chairs, doors and small boxes covered in deep floral carving.
The heavy pieces are for homes in Pakistan. The small ones, such as jewellery boxes and trays, travel well.
In pictures
Photos coming soon. Each frame below says what it will show.
History
Chiniot’s woodcarvers have a long reputation, and families have passed the craft down for generations. Chinioti furniture is still a status piece in many Pakistani homes.
How it’s made
Hardwood such as sheesham is dried so it will not crack.
Panels are cut and joined.
Patterns are drawn on the wood.
Carvers work the pattern with chisels and mallets.
Pieces are sanded, polished and sometimes inlaid with brass.
Kinds
The easiest to ship.
Flat carved pieces.
Beds, chairs and doors, shipped by freight.
In Pakistan
A carved Chinioti bed or dowry chest is a proud piece in many Pakistani homes.
Buy it well
| Genuine | Likely a copy |
|---|---|
| Chisel marks, deep cuts | Shallow machine-routed pattern |
| Heavy, dense wood | Light wood or MDF |
Where to buy
No commission for us. Pay the maker directly and ask for tracking.
Find Chinioti woodcarvers on Instagram ↗We may earn a small commission. Your price is the same.
Carved wooden boxes on Etsy ↗Typical price: $30–200, before shipping. Read the “Buy it well” checks above before you order, and ask the seller for photos of the exact piece.
Questions
Yes, by sea or air freight, but shipping can cost as much as the piece.
Keep exploring
Hand-painted glazed ceramics
Cobalt and turquoise on white, the colours of Multan’s shrines.
Pakistan’s famous summer mangoes
Sweet, fibre-free and fragrant: the mango Pakistanis argue is the best in the world.
Painted lamp made from camel hide
Translucent hide painted in gold, lit from within.
Dense sweet made with ghee and nuts
Multan’s dense, nutty sweet, sold in round tins.
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