Home / Bazaar / Sindh / Hala lacquerware
For the home · Gifts
Lacquered, lathe-turned wood
Wood turned on a lathe and coloured by friction, in bands of red, yellow and green.
$15–80
Find Sindhi lacquerware on Etsy ↗If you buy through this link we may earn a small commission. It never changes your price.
The story
Hala, in Sindh, is known for jandi: lacquered woodwork in bright bands of red, yellow, green and black. Everything from jewellery boxes to cradles and bed legs comes off the workshops’ lathes.
The colour is not painted on. Sticks of lacquer are pressed against the spinning wood, and the heat of friction melts them onto the surface.
In pictures
Photos coming soon. Each frame below says what it will show.
History
Lacquer turning is an old craft in Sindh, and Hala’s workshops have kept it going for generations alongside the town’s tilework and weaving.
How it’s made
A piece of wood is shaped on a lathe.
Sticks of coloured lacquer are pressed against the spinning wood, melting on with friction.
Several colours are laid down in bands.
Designs are scratched through the top layer to reveal colours below.
The piece is polished to a high shine.
Kinds
Round jewellery and trinket boxes.
Bed legs and chair legs.
Spinning tops and rolling pins.
In Pakistan
Lacquered furniture and cradles are traditional wedding gifts in rural Sindh.
Buy it well
| Genuine | Likely a copy |
|---|---|
| Glossy layered colour with scratched patterns | Flat painted stripes |
Where to buy
We may earn a small commission. Your price is the same.
Find Sindhi lacquerware on Etsy ↗Typical price: $15–80, before shipping. Read the “Buy it well” checks above before you order, and ask the seller for photos of the exact piece.
Questions
Treat it as decorative unless the seller confirms otherwise.
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