The goldsmiths' art contributes largely to em broidery. Gold and silver thread is made by being drawn out under the application of heat, and with such nicety, that one rupee's worth of silver will make a thread nearly 800 yards long. Before being used in the loom, this metallic thread is generally twisted with silk. For the manufac ture of cloth of gold (sonari), or cloth of silver (ruperi), the wire is beaten flat, so as to form the warp to a woof of thin silk or cotton. A third kind of metallic ornamentation is practised at Jeypore in Rajputana and Hyderabad in the Dekhan, by printing muslins with patterns of gold and silver leaf.
Enamelling, as applied in India to jewellery, consists of an extremely fine pencilling of flowers and fancy designs in a variety of colours, the prevailing ones being white, red, and blue, and is invariably applied to the inner sides of bracelets, armlets, anklets, necklaces, ear-rings, sirpooch, tiara, and all that description of native jewellery, the value depending upon the fineness of the work, and often exceeding that of the precious stones themselves. The finest specimens are only made to order, and the best come from Benares, Dehhi, and Jeypore. In the south of India, the manufacture of enamels on articles like the above is almost entirely restricted to Hyderabad. It presents no
varieties, but in general consists of a blue coating interlined with white on a surface of silver, and is applied to roscwater sprinklers, spice-boxes, basins, and such like articles. The merit of the manufac tore lies in the simplicity of the enamel itself, and in the lightness of the silver article to which it is applied. Though pleasing, it is the coarsest enamel produced in India. At Indore in Central India,•it is applied to articles of personal decora tion, such as necklaces, armlets, brooches, ear rings, etc., which are set by native jewellers, according to the taste of the purchaser. The subjects generally consist in a representation of the avatars, or pictures of the metamorphoses of Indian deities ; and the work is so perfect that it will stand, not only the influence of climate, but even rodgh handling. A set of the ornaments, con sisting of a necklace, ear-rings, two armlets, and a brooch; in plain gold, contributed to tho Exhibi tion of 1851, was valued at Rs. 1700, or £170. A duplicate forwarded to the Paris Exhibition in 1855, was purchased•for •11s. 600, or £60.—Toy Cart; Tod's Tr. ; Rajasthan ; Juries' Rep. Ex. 1851; Madras Ex. 1855 ; Ex. of 1862 ; Royle's Arts of India ; Sir G. Birdwood; Imp. Ga.:.