Buying handmade: what to look for

A practical guide to materials, workmanship and the questions worth asking.

A piece catches your eye. Perhaps it is the border of a quilt, a painted bird, or the shape of a brass cup. Then you read the description: handmade, heritage, artisan-made. You still don’t know very much about the object.

I want to know what those words mean in practice. Which parts were done by hand? Who made it? How will it hold up to the way I plan to use it? You don’t need to become a textile historian to ask useful questions. A little attention goes a long way.

Ask for a place, a process and a person

A useful description should tell you where something was made and name the technique. Ideally, it will also name the artist, workshop or collective, with their consent. When an individual name is unavailable, the seller should explain what they do know.

Bagru, for example, refers to a printing tradition associated with Bagru in Rajasthan and the Chippa community. It is more specific than a rust-and-cream floral look. Contemporary production varies, so a colour palette alone cannot establish where a fabric was made, how it was printed, or what dyes were used. Read the Impart Encyclopedia’s account of Bagru printing.

Ask separately about hand printing, the base fabric and the dyes. A hand-printed design does not tell you whether the cloth was handwoven. “Natural dye,” “organic cotton” and “fairly paid” are also separate claims, each deserving a clear explanation or relevant evidence.

Look at the whole textile, including the reverse

For a dohar or quilt, ask for photographs of the entire piece, a close-up of the print, the reverse, the edges and the stitching. Ask for the fibre composition of every layer and any filling, the dimensions, the expected weight or warmth, and washing guidance.

Check whether the edges are finished securely, whether seams are sound, and whether the layers are held together appropriately for the construction. Ask about shrinkage and colour transfer before deciding whether a piece suits everyday bedding. A beautiful pattern will not make an inconvenient care routine disappear.

Kantha is a good reminder to read descriptions carefully. Historically, it often involved reused cloth; today, the term can describe a stitching style on new fabric. If you want a vintage or reused textile, ask directly rather than assuming the name guarantees it. The V&A describes this change in Kantha-making.

Handmade does not need to look badly made

Small differences in print placement or stitching can be part of working by hand. They are not, on their own, proof of authenticity. Highly skilled handwork can also be remarkably consistent.

Look for the maker’s control over the material. A slight shift in a printed motif is a different question from an opening seam, a hole or an unstable handle. Ask the seller to distinguish expected variation from a fault, and read the return terms before purchasing online.

This historical Bengal coverlet rewards close looking at its structure and repeated borders. It is an example to study, not a benchmark every contemporary purchase must resemble. The Met identifies its materials and place of production; that specificity is a useful habit to bring to shopping. View the object record.

For art, begin with the artist

Find out whether you are buying an original painting, a print or a reproduction. Ask for the artist’s name, medium, dimensions and any available information about the subject. A photograph of the actual work is more useful than a styled room mock-up alone.

A traditional visual language can hold very contemporary ideas. The artists in the Asian Art Museum’s Mithila exhibition addressed their own lives and the world around them. Give the person behind a work as much attention as its suitability for your wall. Explore the museum’s exhibition.

For tableware, ask how it is meant to be used

With brass or silver-coloured pieces, ask whether the material is solid metal, plated or coated, and what the interior surface is made from. If you plan to serve food or drinks, request explicit confirmation that the particular item is suitable for that use, along with any restrictions and care instructions. A decorative vessel’s appearance does not establish its suitability for the table.

Look for a stable base, comfortable edges, secure joins and a finish you are willing to maintain. Patina may appeal to you; frequent polishing may not. Both are worth thinking about before the piece arrives.

Spend where you will notice the difference

For bedding, that may be comfortable fabric and reliable construction. For a painting, it may be the connection you feel to a particular artist’s work. For tableware, it may be a form that feels good in your hand and earns regular use.

Price alone cannot verify skill, fair pay or longevity. Ask what accounts for it, and choose within your means. Here, investing means spending thoughtfully on something you hope to live with; there is no promise of resale value.

Before buying, I would want five answers: who made it, what it is made from, how it was made, how I will use it, and how I will care for it. If those answers are clear and the piece still stays with you, you have a good place to begin.