Hand Engraved Kansa Thali Set, 5 Piece

Name: Hand Engraved Kansa Thali Set, 5 Piece
Brand: PEETAL PARAMPARA
SKU: PP-KA-KAN-THL-193
Price: 10399.0 INR
Availability: InStock

A hand engraved kansa thali set of five, with a floral band cut low on every piece.

Rs. 10,399.00

Price includes GST.

Weight: 1,500g

Material: Kansa (bronze), unlacquered
Finish: Brushed satin with a hand engraved band
Motif: Flowers and leaves in cut line, darkened in the grooves
Thali: Upright wall carrying the engraved band, undivided floor
Quantity: 5 pieces, one place setting

In the box

1 kansa thali
2 kansa katoris
1 kansa shallow bowl
1 kansa glass

Check delivery to your PIN code

Estimated, not a guarantee. Dispatched from Guwahati, Monday to Saturday.

Each piece is shaped and finished by hand, so small differences in weight, size, finish and surface marking are normal and no two are identical. Colour on screen can differ from the metal in daylight. Handmade in India.

The engraving is a band of flowers and leaves in fine cut line, running round the outside of the thali wall and repeated low on both katoris, on the shallow bowl and round the waist of the glass. The line is cut, not printed, and the density shifts from panel to panel, tighter where the tool ran slower, with the closing join landing in a different place on each piece. The thali wall stands upright instead of rolling over, which gives the band a flat surface to sit on. The glass pinches in at the middle and swells again at the foot.

Technique

Hand Engraved

What is it?

A thali set is the plate and the katoris, glass and spoon that go with it, sold as one place setting. Kansa is bronze, copper alloyed with tin, and holds an engraved line cleanly because the metal is hard.

Also known as a kansa dinner set, engraved bronze thali, kansya thali set or bell metal thali.

What is in the box?

1 kansa thali
2 kansa katoris
1 kansa shallow bowl
1 kansa glass

How do I look after it?

Kansa is an alloy of copper and tin, known in English as bell metal or bronze. It is dense, hard, and heavier in the hand than steel of the same size.
Wash by hand with a mild dishwashing liquid and a soft sponge straight after eating. Dry fully.
Kansa darkens with use and reacts to sour food faster than brass does. Serve lemon, curd, tamarind and pickle fresh rather than leaving them standing in the vessel.
To restore the shine: tamarind pulp, or lemon and salt. Rinse thoroughly and dry.
Do not use steel wool, harsh detergent or bleach.
Not dishwasher safe. Not microwave safe.
Kansa is hard but it is not forgiving — a fall onto stone can dent or crack the rim. Store it where it will not knock against other metal.

How was it made?

Hand Engraved

Handmade in India

Every piece finished by hand

Solid metal

No plating, nothing to chip

Weighed and listed

In grams, on almost every page

Tin lining stated

Where a vessel is lined, we say so

Questions about this piece

Is this kansa solid or plated?

Solid. The five pieces weigh 1,500 g between them, and an engraved band can only be cut into metal that has thickness to lose, so the scale and the cut both answer the same question.

Will it look exactly like the photograph?

No. The band is cut by hand, so the spacing of the flowers, the depth of the line and the place where the pattern closes are different on every set that leaves the workshop.

Is kansa the same as brass?

No. Kansa is bronze, copper alloyed with tin, and brass is copper alloyed with zinc. Kansa is the harder of the two, which is why an engraved line in it stays crisp instead of smearing.

Will it discolour with sour food?

Yes, in patches, and the engraved grooves darken first because food sits in them. Rinse soon after the meal, dry the pieces, and work a soft brush along the band now and then.

How many do I need?

One per person eating. The five pieces are a single place setting rather than a service for the table, so a household of four orders four and adds serving vessels separately.

Does the set include a spoon?

Not in the photograph. Five pieces are shown, the thali, two katoris, a shallow bowl and the glass, and the maker is being asked whether a spoon ships with the design as well.

Will the engraving trap food?

Only lightly. The cut is shallow, so a rinse under a running tap clears it. Where a thick dal or a masala has dried in the line, a soft toothbrush and warm water take it out.