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ART-MANUFACTURES OF INDIA.

INTRODUCTION.

THE following pages contain a brief account of the most important art-manufactures of India. They are intended to give a general idea of such articles to the visitors at the Glasgow International Exhibition. The present collection there is not only a representative one, but also includes many articles of the best and purest workmanship. That it has been possible to get together such an assortment of Indian art-ware within so short time and with such small provision of funds, is largely due to the successful management of the late Colonial and Indian Exhibition. The knowledge which it imparted to the people of Great Britain about the resources of India, and the clever ingenuity of their fellow-subjects in turning out beautiful and original examples of art-workmanship, has now begun to bear some fruit. A large number out of the millions of visitors before whose eyes the Colonial and Indian Exhibition displayed the artistic wealth of India carried back with them a desire to possess specimens of such art, and the large number of such specimens which have through its means been scattered over the length and breadth of the land have created for Indian handiwork a taste of which the value is most important to Indian interests. It is now said that not only in Great Britain, but also on the Continent of Europe, this taste is creating a public opinion that no salôn, however brilliant it may be in other respects, can be considered fashionable or perfect unless it possesses at least a few decorative articles of Indian manufacture. Thus, while on the