The Jaipur Story
A hell-raising trip from Delhi to Jaipur for our Mister Steve
Our Mister Steve checking wood being kiln dried
Grading the timber
Wood carefully selected
Work that jig, baby
Cut and ready to assemble
Preparing the glue press
On the glue press
It's a family affair
It's darn hot...but airy!
Preparing our headboards for painting
Nice & tidy
Who let the doctor out!
Energy efficient: wood off-cuts are burnt to power the wood-drying ovens!
Time to catch a lift home!
Always a friendly welcome
The Place
Jaipur in India is one of the most beautiful parts of Rajasthan. And it is also where our friends Sandeep and Ravi have their furniture factory as it's a hotbed of skilled craftsmen. Ravi's the talker of the two and loves to wax lyrical about the quality of their operation - the first thing he ever showed us was the cleanliness of the staff loos! Sandeep is the quieter, more scientific side of the partnership who ensures the products are made to perfection.
"Working the wood? It's what I do, sir!"
The Expertise
Like furniture makers the world over, most of Sandeep and Ravi's team have known nothing other than this hands-on trade all their lives. The skill they have which we've mostly lost in this country is the ability to carve timber as well as apply a hand-finished and characterful look.
