Metal
art in Nepal has been dated back to the seventh
century AD. Kathmandu Valley's prosperity in many
ways is linked to its early mastery over metal.
The Newars used the unique lost wax metal sculpting
process early on. They also had the technology to
attain heat levels that could melt gold: this earned
them great fame and money in the Himalayan region,
particularly Tibet. Family secrets, guarded with
much jealousy in the past, are now more easily accessible
and this has helped many aspiring artisans who do
not have a family line to fall back on access chemical
recipes and trade secrets. Bronze was initially
used to make most statues but copper has replaced
it in terms of popular use among artisans. The many
workshops and stores have created a vast pool of
metal art for buyers to choose from. The locations
well known for hand-worked metal art are Patan,
Chainpur, Palpa, and Bhojpur (the latter three are
also known for fine kitchen utensils).
COLLECTIBLES