Some of them were purchased directly from the craftsmen, but most of the collection is the result of purchasing expeditions, during which museum scholars visited the homes of local residents. Basically, the products date back to the 18th – early 20th century. During this period, Bukhara, Khiva, Samarkand, Karshi, Shakhrisabz, Tashkent and Kokand were the main centers for the production of embossed products in the territory of Uzbekistan. The techniques for applying the pattern were almost the same everywhere and were mainly the following types: chased, engraved and openwork-cut through. Often, richly ornamented metal utensils were an adornment for the interior of wealthy townspeople‘s houses, being an indicator of the wealth of its owner.
Copper-chased items were made by craftsmen of three specialties: coppersmiths made molds and tinned, casters cast vessels and some parts (handles of vessels, small domes on lids, nose-tips, hinges, etc.), and chasers decorated items with fine chasing and engraving.
Products of the 19th – early 20th centuries are diverse in their shapes and purpose in everyday life. Especially widespread are graceful jugs for water and tea decorated with a rich pattern, which have different names and differed in silhouettes and shapes, all kinds of bowl-shaped vessels for water, milk, fruit juices and drinks, sweets and fruits, basins for washing and spittoon, round and rectangular trays, stands for warming-up bread, lid for covering food, mugs and ladles. Hunting drums, cash desks for storing merchants‘ proceeds, jewelry chests, pencil cases, smoking devices and ritual incense holders, lamps and candelabra are distinctive in their shapes and engraved patterns. The decoration of miniature cosmetic and perfumery devices required the filigree technique.
You can learn more about the topic in the book-album “The Collection of the Kokand State Museum-Reserve” (Volume XLIII) in the series “The Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan in the World Collections”.
The main sponsor of the project is the oilfield services company Eriell-Group.
