Tuesday, October 09, 2012

Coppre.

It's all about this blushing metal. Copper.

Coppre is a creative collaboration between the 'Tambat' craftsmen in Maharashtra and Rashmi Ranade, a product designer from Industrial Design Centre, IIT Powai and Sir JJ School of Architecture. 
Coppre works with the craftspeople, by modernizing their products for contemporary sensibilities thereby making the old relevant in the new. 

Inspiration from nature...
Rashmi draws inspiration from  interesting objects she picks up during her long walks like palm leaves, castor leaves, peepal leaves and lotus buds.

Castor leaf tea lights.


Nature Inspired floater.

Copper Pod tealights.

Peepal Leaf.

"The legacy of the Tambat craftspeople who handcraft Coppre's products dates back to the 17th century when they were invited to Pune by the Peshwas when Shivaji set up the city as the capital city of the Maratha Empire.

When the Tambat craftspeople migrated from Konkan to Pune, they formed their settlement in Kasba Peth, an already established nucleus of old Pune. Their precincts came to be known as Tambat Ali (Ali:precincts). These narrow and dusty alleys of Tambat Ali where the timeless sound of metal-hammers clang on copper, have remained pretty much the same as they were almost 300 years ago.

From making armour, coins, canons, copper utensils, ritual wares for the Peshwa rulers, the craftspeople embraced the culinary and ritual needs of Maharashtrian communities and crafted traditional products such as utensils and puja items."~Coppre

Coppre and Light...
This series shows the interplay of light and the reflective metal.
Circle of light tea lights.

Hurricane lamps.

‘Matharkaam’ or beaten work is the distinguishing feature of Tambat craft. The hand-beaten indentations, made by profiled beating hammers, strengthen the object and enhance the inherent rich surface by imparting a mirror-like appearance. It is a skill intensive craft and needs strength, dexterity and a keen hand-foot-eye coordination.
~ Coppre

Reflecting the old in the new...
Drawing inspiration from old traditional vessels, Rashmi has created a modern twist to her Grandmother's trinket box and her mother's Meditation Urlis.

Chip Dip Platter.

Meditation Urlis.


Trinket Boxes.
The bedside Water carafes designed, have drawn inspiration from the ayurvedic practice of drinking water stored in copper vessels. 

This craft started dwindling due to loss of patronage by the Peshwas, mechanization, many bans imposed during British Rule and more recently the changing traditions, rising copper prices and the convenience offered by other materials has reduced the number of families practicing this craft to a small number.

Traditional Tambat Products...
Here are some beautiful traditional Tambat products made today.
Water Jug.

Modak (Dumplings) Steamer.

Water Container.

This art of beaten copper metal brings in aesthetics as well as functionality.

Kudos to Rashmi and her team at Coppre and supported by INTACH & Forbes Marshall for this grand effort in keeping this diminishing craft alive and supporting the Tambat Craftspeople.

You can check out their Facebook page here or email them at coppremarketing@gmail.com

(Images from Coppre)

12 comments:

notyet100 said...

Luved their product :)

Priti said...

Oh...WOW! It looks simply stunning!!! Copper items never fascinated me so much as it did today. Visited Coppre's FB page, they have beautiful stuffs. Simply awesome. Thanks Archana, for such a lovely post and making me fall in love with copper. I really heart Copper Pod tea-lights. <3

Anonymous said...

This is really artistic and informative.For me it is nostalgic as I had been to this Tambat Ali in Pune many times during my childhood days.My maternal Grandparents stayed there and I use to visit my Granny's house and got irritated with the sound the Tambats made but then she was the one who introduced to the craftsmanship of Tambats and then I started enjoying them working live in front of me.Amazing products Coppre!!!

rk said...

I just love copper utensils. The flower/leaf shaped copper pieces are just so unique and beautiful! Thanks for sharing this very informative post. Each time I read about a new craft of India that has been lost, it amazes me how many art forms used to thrive in India and how many may have been lost forever, too late for our generation to ever see.

Archana Srinivas Pottery said...

rk~ The heartwarming fact is that for each craft that seems to be dwindling there are people like Coppre that seem to be working towards reviving it.

Unknown said...

Loved the post. Beautiful products. Enjoyed the phots on FB too.

Miss Frangipani said...

Gorgeous! That trinket box is calling my name...

Reshma at masalamangomantra.blogspot.com said...

Very fascinating! Loved them all! Now off to check their facebook page!

Vidya @ Whats Ur Home Story said...

Thanks a ton Archana for featuring the store. Would not have come across them otherwise. love everyone of their products.

sowpar said...

awesome stuff... i've always liked copper but this made me fall head over heels in love :) the copper pod tealight holders,urlis and water carafes are absolutely gorgeous...

Unknown said...

These creations in copper are absolutely stunning..almost took me back to my childhood days at my grandmom's place when copper was so common in homes.
The tea lights, hurricane lamps are all so beautiful..wonderful chip and dip tray too. It is such beautiful work done by Coppre to revive these rich works that makes India what it is.

Ganesh Pyne said...

Very good work of copper. Just the perfect amount of detail and great shapes! Thanks you for sharing your beautiful art. This is definitely going to be a hit for Asian art lovers. Wow! This is cool. Thank you so much for sharing this one.