STRUCTURAL FEATURES: The low, straight-backed armchair is cube-like in form, and was probably produced in the town of Sankheda in Gujarat, about 50 kilometres from Vadodara. The tiered pattern of the spindles holding the frame of the back is shaped using chisels and gouges, and the overall effect is that of boldness. The finials of the toprail are shaped in a round form.

STYLISTIC FEATURES: The chair has repeated turning spindle-like carvings along the back and the arms, lending it an ornate, yet structured style. The craft process, a rather time-consuming one, involves five stages -- the making of individual teak wood elements on a pedhe or lathe; the painting of designs in tin on these pieces; the application of a coat of lac; polishing of the lac with a kevada leaf and groundnut oil; and the assembling of these sections into a single piece. The tin-painted patterns change colour once heated and lined with lac. Due to the limitations imposed by the technique and the materials used, the finished products have a fixed range of colours such as brown, orange, maroon, and gold.

Courtesy: The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai