Commissions

Made for you, by the workshops that still do it by hand.

Patan's metal casters and the valley's woodcarvers take commissions as a matter of course. What they need is a clear brief and someone on the ground to approve each stage. That is what we do for you.

One piece or a small set
You approve the model or sample before the expensive work begins
Photos and video at every stage
Export clearance handled, including archaeology clearance for statues

Describe your piece

Tell us what you need. Or WhatsApp +977-9849998031

What we commission

Metal statues

Copper and brass figures cast by the lost-wax method in Patan, finished by hand, and gilded or face-painted if you want it. A deity, a figure from your reference, or a size the market does not stock.

Typically 4 to 8 weeks for 20-30 cm; longer for large or gilded pieces.

Carved wood

Newari-style carving in seasoned hardwood: window and door panels, masks, boxes and furniture, made to your drawings and measurements.

Typically 3 to 8 weeks depending on size and detail.

Felt to your design

Your colours, shapes and sizes: characters, ornaments, garlands, rugs or a product of your own. Ideal for a range nobody else has.

Typically 2 to 4 weeks after the sample is approved.

How a commission runs

Brief. Send references: photos, a drawing, dimensions, material and finish. Tell us the budget if you have one.
Quote and maker. We choose the workshop, and send a written quote with the price, the stages and a realistic date.
50% to begin. Paid by bank transfer against a pro forma invoice. Work starts when it arrives.
Your approval. For statues you approve the wax model before casting; for wood, the carving drawing; for felt, a sample. This is the stage where changes are cheap.
Finishing and photos. You see the finished piece in photographs and video before it is packed.
Balance and dispatch. The remaining 50% is paid, then it ships with every export document it needs.

Hand work takes the time it takes, and workshops slow down over Dashain and Tihar in October and November. The date in your quote allows for that; if you have a hard deadline, tell us at the start.

Need it sooner? The workshops usually have finished pieces on hand. We can send you photos of what is available now, and a ready piece ships in one to two weeks.