Striped Christmas Bauble

This striped Christmas bauble is made from papier mâché and painted by hand in Kashmir, where artisans have worked in papier mâché since the craft arrived in the valley with craftsmen from Persia in the fifteenth century. It comes in blue, purple, red or green, each banded with fine gold stripes.

The form is shaped from paper pulp over a mould and left to dry hard, then passed to a painter, known as a naqash, who lays on the colour. The stripes are painted freehand, so the bands on one bauble never quite match those on the next.

We source these from a supplier who describes the Kashmiri group that makes them as members of the World Fair Trade Organization.

How to Care for Your Papier Mâché Bauble

Dust it with a soft, dry brush and keep it away from water, as the paper beneath the paint softens if it gets damp. Store it wrapped in tissue somewhere dry.

• Material: hand-painted papier mâché
• Colours: blue, purple, red or green, with gold
• Size: approx. 8 x 8 x 8cm
• Weight: approx. 40g
• Made in: Kashmir, India
• Sold individually