Nuagaon Dhokra Large Deer Sitting — Handcrafted Lost-Wax Brass Showpiece

In Nuagaon village, Odisha, artisan Sanatan Padhan casts brass the way his family has for generations — one wax thread at a time.

This Deer is made using Dhokra, an ancient lost-wax casting technique practiced by tribal metal-casting communities across Odisha and central India. Each piece begins as a clay core, wrapped in fine threads of wax laid out entirely by hand, then coated in layers of river clay. When the mould is fired, the wax melts away — "lost" — leaving a cavity that's filled with molten brass. Once cooled, the clay shell is broken open to reveal the finished piece. There's no reusing the mould and no machine involved — the fine ridged texture you see is the actual wax thread pattern, preserved permanently in metal.

This Deer is cast solid in brass, with the slightly rustic, hand-poured surface that is dhokra's signature — not a flaw, but proof that this exact casting cycle will never happen again.

Why it's more than décor:

• Bought directly from the artisan — this piece is sourced directly from Sanatan Padhan in Nuagaon village, with fair pricing that goes to the craftsperson, not through layers of middlemen.

• A dying craft, kept alive — Dhokra casting is practiced by a shrinking number of tribal artisan families in Odisha and Chhattisgarh. Every purchase supports a technique passed down hand to hand, with no written instructions.

• Genuinely one-of-one — because the mould is destroyed with every cast, no two pieces — even from the same artisan — are ever identical.

Details

• Material: Solid brass, lost-wax cast
  

• Finish: Natural antique brass (polished — deepens beautifully with age)

• Care: Wipe with a dry, soft cloth. Avoid water and harsh chemical cleaners.

• Artisan: Sanatan Padhan, Nuagaon Village, Odisha, India

A note on authenticity: Because this is entirely handmade, expect minor variations in texture and finish — this is the mark of genuine Dhokra, not a defect.