What it is & where it’s from:
Bidriware is a GI-tagged craft from Bidar, Karnataka (also made by migrated artisan families in Hyderabad). It’s a cast zinc–copper alloy object inlaid with pure silver (and sometimes brass/gold) and finished to a deep matte black using a unique soil from Bidar Fort—a process central to its identity.

how it ships & where it sells

Likely HS codes (for exports):

• HS 8306.29 — “Statuettes and other ornaments, of base metal, other than plated with precious metal”. This is the most common fit for Bidriware articles (vases, boxes, décor). Under the HS rules, the specific heading for ornaments (8306) prevails over generic “other articles of zinc.”
  
• If an item is plated (not typical—Bidri is inlaid, not plated), some customs use 8306.21. Use with care.
  

Market size proxies (Bidri is a niche inside these codes):

• In 2023, the U.S. imported ~$108.2M of HS 8306.29 from India (making the U.S. the key destination).
  
• India’s exports of HS 8306 (all base-metal ornaments) were ~$239M in 2023; top partners include the U.S., Germany, Netherlands.
  

Why treat these as proxies: Bidriware doesn’t have a unique HS line; it sits within “base-metal ornaments,” so category trade flows are the best measurable indicators.

Quality & strengths

Materials & structure

• Alloy: typically ~95% zinc / 5% copper (“white brass”) for casting; silver is inlaid as wire or sheet.
  
• Inlay integrity: silver sits flush with the base (not glued). Crisp, continuous lines with no gaps indicate higher skill. (Process detail from authoritative craft documentation.)
  

Finish (the hallmark black)

• Blackening chemistry: Bidri’s patina forms when the cast piece is treated with a paste/solution of Bidar fort soil + ammonium chloride (and often potassium nitrate); ammonium chloride selectively leaches zinc at the surface, leaving a copper-enriched layer that oxidizes black; silver inlay remains bright—creating the iconic contrast.
  
• Region-specific edge: craft literature and field documentation emphasize the unique oxidizing property of soil from the shaded, unexposed parts of Bidar Fort, a practice embedded in the tradition and GI description.
  

Design language (distinctive to the Deccan)

• Motifs: Persian-Deccan synthesis—asharfi-ki-booti, vine creepers, calligraphy, geometric jaalis; Hyderabad lines often adapt Ajanta-inspired forms due to artisan migration from Bidar.
  

Workmanship signals (practical QC checklist for buyers)

• Contrast & uniformity: deep, even matte black with no blotches; silver inlay evenly lustrous after buffing.
  
• Inlay depth & continuity: silver highlights should be level with the surface, edges clean, no burrs. (Documented process outcomes.)
  
• Tool marks: minimal visible filing/lathe striations on curved forms.
  
• Care note (to inform end-users): avoid acids/abrasives; a light rub of oil periodically revives the black.
  

Why India/why Bidar (specifics to the region)

• GI protection & government channels: Bidriware (Karnataka) is officially GI-registered; Cauvery (Karnataka Handicrafts) retails authenticated GI craft, and Bidar is the identified ODOP craft cluster.
  
• Cluster scale: Tourism & government sources indicate ~500 artisans active around Bidar/Hyderabad, underscoring living tradition and supply depth.
  

Compliance & labeling

• Metals: Bidri base is zinc–copper; silver is inlay, not plating. If selling as “silver jewellery,” EU REACH restrictions for lead (Entry 63) and cadmium in jewellery (Entry 23) can bite; ensure alloys/solders meet limits (e.g., lead restrictions in consumer articles; cadmium 0.01% cap in jewellery parts)
  
• Hallmarking in India: BIS hallmarking applies to precious-metal articles; Bidriware itself is a base-metal article with silver inlay, so hallmarking typically does not apply unless the item is marketed as a silver article
  

Sourcing notes

• Authentic channels: Karnataka’s Cauvery Emporium / KSHDC and craft cooperatives in Bidar are reliable starting points for verified producers.
  
• Product types that export well: small décor (boxes, vases, trays), corporate gifts, and contemporary forms using tarkashi (wire) and tainishan (sheet) inlay techniques for high contrast at manageable weights.
  

Quick summary for your category sheet

• Category: Indian art-metalware (HS 8306.29 predominates) — niche within a ~$239M (2023) India export segment, with the U.S. as the largest destination for base-metal ornaments from India.
  
• Core strengths: Unmistakable black–silver contrast, region-specific patination using Bidar fort soil, deep craft pedigree (GI, ODOP).
  

Quality signals: even blackening, crisp inlay flushness, clean finishing; provide end-user oil-care note.