Minakari is a method of decorating objects with enamel (mina). An art and a craft, it’s one of the main and most iconic forms of Persian handicrafts. Minakari is typically done on pottery and porcelain, as well as on metals such as gold, copper, silver, aluminum, steel, brass, and bronze.
To make a work of minakari, first, a metal is selected as the main material, and then formed into the desired shape and sized by a metalworker. This is followed by a minakari craftsperson (minakari) coating the object evenly with a white glaze. The glazed metal object is later decorated with hand-drawn floral and abstract patterns, before being fired in a kiln. Finally, when removed from the kiln, the object is coated with a higher-quality glaze and fired a second time.
Copper and brass are the most popular metals for minakari because they require multiple glazing, which strengthens them considerably. Durability, formability, malleability, and the ability to be rolled into sheets are some of the properties of copper, which make it a great choice for minakari. Copper and brass can also be washed with cleaning agents without getting damaged and their capacity to absorb glaze is greater than other metals, which is another advantage that makes them preferable.
What is the use of minakari Decorative products?
Minakari is done to adorn metal and non-metal containers with decorative designs. Works of minakari are among the richest and most exquisite Persian handicrafts and can serve as:
· Splendid and unique decoration for homes and workplaces (in the form of table vases and wall-hung plates)
· Outstanding gifts for friends and acquaintances
· Promotional and corporate gifts and awards
· Tableware
Different Styles of Minakari Decorative Dishes
Various kinds of containers can be turned into authentic Persian masterpieces through minakari, which gives you a great range of options to choose from based on personal taste and the interior design of your home or place of business. Minakari can be categorized into three styles:
1. Painted minakari: Done today to ornament different types of containers.
2. Wire-inlaid minakari: One of the traditional techniques of minakari.
3. Grooved minakari: Involves designs being engraved on the object.
Different Types of minakari products
Minakari artists create a great variety of products, the most popular of which include:
· Plates, bowls, vases, picture frames, and framed minakari — which are sometimes decorated, in combination with minakari, by crafts such as gilding, khatamkari, miniature painting, and jewelry making
· Decorative objects such as Khatamkari and minakari boxes, tea and beverage sets, armors, mirrors, hookahs, Quran boxes, pen cases, belts, minakari bubbles, snuff cases, rosewater pitchers, photo albums, and dagger scabbards
· Doors and windows in places of worship, and Zarihs
· jewelry, such as earrings, necklaces, rings, and pendants
Six characteristics of authentic minakari home decor items
Top-quality works of minakari exhibit a set of distinct characteristics, namely:
1. Flatness and evenness of enamel base surface
2. Being free of cracks, cuts, chips, bubbles, holes, or scratches
3. Glossiness
4. Evenness of paint thickness
5. Authentic and delicate Persian patterns
6. High-class and intact glaze coating on the container’s back/bottom
Minakari decorative product exports
Thanks to its beauty and quality, the art of minakari has captured the interest of many in not only Iran but also other places around the globe. Persian minakari products are currently exported to different countries, including the US, Canada, Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands.
Cyruscrafts specializes in the supply, sale, and export of the best Persian handicrafts, including works of minakari. We bring you high-class, one-of-a-kind products that will liven up and individualize your home or workplace.
