How to identify the original minakari products when buying enamel (minakari in Persian)?
Minakari is one of the oldest and most delicate Iranian arts with a history of about five thousand years (Wikipedia). This art is the most popular among Iranian handicrafts. Isfahan is famous for having minakari dishes.
Minakari products are bought as souvenirs, gifts to friends and even to corporate gifts. In addition, they can be used as decorative objects in homes.
But one of the most important concerns of buyers of enamel dishes is how to distinguish good quality from bad and how to distinguish the original enamel from fake?
Given that in the current market, there are such minakari dishes with different qualities and different prices that buyers of this product may be confused because it is difficult for the general people to distinguish high quality from low quality.
However, in this article we will try to do a great service to the buyers of minakari dishes by reminding them of simple but principled points.
It should be noted that article focuses on the” Factors affecting the price of minakari “(internal link). Besides, the important and effective parameters in determining the quality of minakari dishes are mentioned.
Consequently knowing them will help to identify the original minakari. We will tell you the original minakari dishes for you friends our dearest customers.
1- The ID card of the original minakari
In today ‘s world, the logo and brand of objects guarantee their quality. Handicrafts are no exception to this rule. The information helps buyers to know the manufacturer of the work while buying minakari and also to know the staff responsible for the quality of minakari products.
2- Appearance and material of high quality and original minakari dishes
Minakari dishes have the principle of a flat uniform surface and are free of extra parts. this is one of the most important features to know the main products from counterfeit. This can be detected using the sense of touch.
The work surface should be smooth and glossy without roughness. Regardingly by touching the minakari surfaces, you can feel the smoothness and smoothness of the surface of the minakari dishes.
This is the easiest way to determine the quality of the minakari dishes. The presence of any roughness on the surface of minakari products shows that the minakari dishes is non-original and forged created by the use of substandard paints or burning glaze in furnace.
3- Patterns and colors of high quality minakari products
The more accurate and delicate the eslimi motifs , Khatai, flower and bird, etc. used in minakri, the higher the quality of the minakari. The delicacy of these designs shows the skill and experience of the owner of the work. Artists paint in a certain way that the colors are in their specific place and do not interfere with color.
Also, being busy and using more designs and various colors will increase the quality of the product. The use of high quality colors makes the minakari dishes more shiny and transparent. In particular, some of the colors used in minakari, such as purple or red, use gold powder in their manufacture and will increase the quality of products.
Another important point about the color of original minakari products is that the colors should fit together and these colors and patterns are chosen by an experienced artist.
4- The destructive effect of weather on poor quality minakari products
Climatic conditions such as high humidity, rain, heat do not affect the quality of the original products, but poor quality products are not resistant to environmental conditions.
5- Genuine minakari products are washable.
The paints used in the original minakri containers are resistant to detergent chemicals and can be washed several times with water and detergent and soft dishcloth or sponge. It should be noted that never use rough dishcloth to wash them.
6- Original minakari dishes are made of pure metal
Metals such as copper, brass, silver, and gold sometimes are used as substrates in minakri. The use of impure metals as substrates, after being placed in a furnace and heated, will create protrusions on the minakri surface that reduce The quality of minakari products.
7- The weight proportional to the size of the minakari product indicates the quality of the minakari
The weight of original and high-quality products varies according to their dimensions. Although you can buy lighter products at a lower price, such products are damaged by the slightest impact.
In preparing the substrate of minakari dishes that need a engraving, it is noteworthy that the thickness of the substrate can not be considered lower than the specific amount, in which case there is a possibility of tearing the sheet during engraving.
It should be mentioned that an original minakari plate is thicker than a pressed minakari plate and because of this, the weight of the product is higher and its price increases.
8- No cracking or blistering in high quality minakari dishes
In diagnosing the original minakari, it is very important to pay attention to the minakari glaze.
The original minakari product must not have any cracks or blistering, in which case the shelf life of the minakari product will be reduced. Too much or too little glaze indicates unprofessional and unprofessional work of the product.
9- Preparing original dishes from original stores
Considering that considering all the above may not be easy for esteemed buyers, the easiest way to find quality products is to buy from reputable stores in this field. Therefore, the experts of this collection are ready to provide free advice to customers by using their expertise and skills. So that customer are able to receive original and high quality handicrafts.
