Bone Carving-Lucknow
Earlier the artisans used to make extensive products for the royal courts and the Nawabs of Avadh. Ivory was used to decorate sword and dagger hilts, plaques to adorn the sides of carriages and howdahs, palanquins, games like chess, chowpad, figures, utilitarian objects like combs, bangles and mirror frames, photo frames, furniture's etc. Today, bone has replaced the ivory and now the artisans make jewelry boxes, pen stand, trinkets, paper knife, scissors, earrings, rings, cutlery, chilam's etc.
There are majorly two types of work being done in Lucknow. One is Jaali work and other is Carving. Jaali work is influenced by the Mughal culture. It takes inspirations from the architecture, nature etc. These jaalis are carved extensively on jewelry boxes, table lamps, jewelries, etc. Different types of camel bone and even dyed pieces are used to make different decorative products. Carving in the round, comprising hunting and forest scenes complete with elephants, tigers, parrots, peacocks and flowering trees is done on thicker bones.
