Tobacco holder, 18th century

This tobacco holder was for a water pipe (huqqa) and was made in India in the 18th century. It 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 Karnatika, where it is thought to have originated.

Surviving pieces date from the late 16th or early 17th century, and it is still being made today. 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, as here, or silver and brass, 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.