Carved wood chests and chairs from the scenic valleys of Upper and Lower Swat in Pakistan’s North-West Frontier. Copper lamps and plates from the bazaars of northern Pakistan, carved marble horse head book ends from Rajasthan, wrought iron fire dogs, painted wood planters and cachepos, glass flower vases from India and the famous blue glass from Herat in Afghanistan are just some of the many items sold in the barn. The low wood chairs with carved backs have seats constructed from plaited goat or cow hide.

Wooden bowls and plates were made from a variety of woods including mulberry, pine and walnut. They served as kitchen utensils arrival in the and were used for mixing flour to make ‘Nan’ the local bread, serving rice and meat or as a container for collecting milk. The underside of the plates and bowls (like the flat surfaces on upright chests or the inside doors) were smoothed by means of an adze. These wooden bowls, once prized possessions, are now extremely difficult to find. Both bowls and plates make excellent containers for fruit!

Above these valleys, dense forests of deodar pine cover the steep mountain slopes which rise up above the terraced fields and orchards of apple, pear, peach and plum. In these valleys lie numerous villages, the buildings constructed entirely of pine. Beneath towering snow-capped peaks, houses cling precariously to the steep slopes. Mosques and houses have carved door jambs, sills, lintels and pillars. Carving even extends to household items such as upright chests with sliding panels for storing clothes and bedding and designs were often a mixture of both geometric and curvilinear.