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Hand-Painted Embossed Elephant Wind Chimes Made from Recycled Iron

Hand-Painted Embossed Elephant Wind Chimes Made from Recycled Iron

Regular price $29.99 USD
Regular price Sale price $29.99 USD
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The elephant chime is handcrafted from recycled iron, hand embossed, and painted with an antique copper finish and colorful accents.  This chime works well indoors as art or outdoors as a garden chime. Elephant trunks pointed upward are thought to dispense energy, luck, and prosperity!  

Handmade by artisans at a family workshop in Behat, India, the metal smithing craft has been passed down from one generation to the next.  The workshop was established in 1976 and employs the artisan family and well-trained artisans from the area.  

Product Features:

  • Type: Wall Art or Garden Chime.
  • Colors: rustic copper finish with handpainted red, green, and gold accents.
  • Materials: Recycled iron and jute string.
  • Lacquer finish, lead-free.
  • Dimensions: Approx. 11 inches from top to bottom and 5 inches wide.
  • Cone Bells are approximately 2.25 inches tall and just under 1 inch at the base.
  • The chains measure approximately 5.75 inches to the bottom of the bell.
  • A Jute string loop for hanging measures approximately 6 inches. 
  • Indoor/Outdoor. 

Story Behind the Art: 

The workshop buys sheets of scrap metal from dealers who collect it door-to-door. But don’t let that make you doubt the quality of their handicrafts; they ensure the scrap comes from acceptable material and transforms the trash into beautiful art.  The artisans specialize in a particular type of finishing known as “Rasai”.  This is when a layer of brass is added onto the wrought iron to give the products a rustic and crude appearance.  

Due to the handmade nature, slight variations in size, color, shape, pattern, or other characteristics may be evident. Each piece is truly a unique work of art, lovingly crafted by hand.

About the Artisans

Esther Kariuki is an independent artisan who continues to make a big impact in villages outside of Nairobi, Kenya, near Kitui.    

Esther and her husband train women on banana fiber crafting to empower them to earn money while working from their homes. Banana Fiber which would normally be discarded is used to craft unique pieces taking the leaves from the banana tree to create durable and eco-friendly pieces of art. The products range from whimsical home decor, Christmas nativities, decorative and holiday ornaments, to functional trays/baskets.

The banana fiber is first dried, and then a light varnish applied. Once this process is complete craftspeople cut the fiber into thin strips to make several different items, including boxes, Bao Bab trees and mobiles. The varnish on the banana fiber with its many tones of brown resembles textured tortoise shell. Esther ensures the craftspeople are paid a fair wage for their goods, which has enabled many in her small village to earn a sustainable wage for their household.  

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