Bone inlay furniture is wooden furniture covered in patterns made from thousands of hand-cut slivers of bone: sideboards, chests of drawers, cabinets, side tables and mirror frames. Look closely and you will see that the pattern is not painted. Every white petal, leaf and stripe is a separate piece of bone, cut and fitted by hand. It is one of the most labour-intensive crafts of India, and it has a long history.
Where bone inlay comes from: Mughal cabinets and Rajasthan workshops
Inlaying wood with bone and ivory has a long history in India. In the Mughal era, workshops in Gujarat and Sindh made wooden cabinets inlaid with bone and ivory between the 16th and 19th centuries, both for local buyers and for European merchants. Examples are kept today at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Their floral and vine patterns come from the same Mughal decorative tradition that you still see in bone inlay today.
Today the craft is most closely linked with Rajasthan, and above all with Udaipur, where inlay work grew under the patronage of the rulers of Mewar. Ivory is no longer used. Bone took its place, and it gives the same creamy, slightly translucent glow.
Is bone inlay real bone?
Yes, bone inlay is made from real bone. You will often read that it is camel bone. Traditionally that was true, but camels are now protected in Rajasthan, and workshops in Udaipur use mainly buffalo bone bought from licensed suppliers. It is a by-product: no animal is raised or killed for the craft.
How bone inlay furniture is made
The work starts with a solid wooden frame. The pattern is drawn onto its surface by hand. The bone is dried in the sun for several days and cleaned, then cut, ground and shaped into tiny pieces, each one made for its place in the design. Artisans glue the pieces onto the wood one by one.
The colour you see between the bone, black, grey, blue or green, is not paint. It is resin mixed with mineral powder and pigment, pressed into every gap and left to set for several days. Then the whole surface is sanded and polished until bone and resin feel like one smooth surface. Workshops in Udaipur say a single piece takes two or three artisans around two to three weeks.
Because every sliver is cut by hand from natural bone, you will see small variations in tone and shape. They are not flaws. They show the piece was made by hand.
Bone inlay designs: floral, geometric and art deco
Floral patterns with vines, leaves and blossoms follow the Mughal tradition. Geometric stars, diamonds and hexagons work well in modern interiors, and bold black-and-white stripes give a piece an art deco look. A close relative is mother-of-pearl inlay, made the same way but with shell, which shimmers in the light.
How to clean and care for bone inlay furniture
Bone inlay is sturdy and needs little care:
- Dust with a soft, dry cloth. Avoid harsh cleaners and never soak the surface.
- Wipe up spills straight away and use coasters under glasses and vases.
- Keep it out of strong direct sun and away from heaters and air-conditioning vents. Natural bone can slowly change tone, and sudden changes of temperature are hard on any wooden furniture.
- In a humid climate like Thailand's, give the piece some air around it and avoid damp corners.
Treated this way, a bone inlay sideboard or chest will last for generations and only grow more beautiful with age. You can see our bone inlay furniture in person in our showrooms in Pattaya and Phuket, or browse the collection online. Every piece is different.
Frequently asked questions
Is bone inlay furniture durable?
Yes. The bone and resin are set on a solid wooden frame, then sanded and sealed into one smooth surface, so bone inlay pieces are made for everyday use. Like any wooden furniture, they should be kept away from standing water, strong direct sun and sudden changes of temperature.
How do you clean bone inlay furniture?
Dust it with a soft, dry cloth. For marks, use a cloth that is only slightly damp and dry the surface straight away. Avoid harsh chemical cleaners and never soak the surface.
What is the difference between bone inlay and mother-of-pearl inlay?
Both are made the same way, by hand, with small pieces set into a resin background. Bone inlay uses bone, which has a soft creamy-white tone. Mother-of-pearl inlay uses shell, which shimmers with rainbow colours in the light.
Does every bone inlay piece look the same?
No. Each sliver of bone is cut by hand, so tone and shape vary slightly from piece to piece. Two sideboards with the same pattern will never be identical.
Where can I buy bone inlay furniture in Thailand?
You can see and buy bone inlay sideboards, chests of drawers, cabinets and side tables at the Tara Home Decor showrooms in Pattaya and Phuket, or order online at tarahomedecor.com. Delivery is free within 50 km of Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket.
