Short answer: old brass utensils are sold by weight, so the price you get is roughly the weight of clean brass multiplied by the day’s brass scrap rate. On 26 October 2026 our live rates page listed brass at ₹852.14/kg (updated 25 October). Steel rivets, wooden handles, tin lining and plated fakes all pull the number down, so sort and check your pital before you sell. In Mumbai and Thane, the easiest place to sell is a buyer who weighs each metal separately in front of you.
- How old brass utensils are priced, and today’s brass rate
- Four quick checks to tell real brass from plated or bronze
- What lowers the price, and what to remove before selling
- When an old piece is worth more as an antique than as scrap
- Where to sell old brass in Mumbai and Thane before Diwali
Why old brass utensils are worth selling
Most Mumbai homes have a box of pital somewhere: a lota that came with a wedding set, puja thalis, a dented handi, a samai nobody lights any more, old bathroom taps. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, and copper is one of the most valuable everyday metals. That’s why a kilo of old brass is worth far more than a kilo of steel or iron.
It also recycles cleanly. The Copper Development Association notes that brass does not lose its chemical or physical properties when recycled, and that scrap brass is normally melted back into new brass of the same kind.
“Brass has the capacity to be recycled an infinite number of times”Copper Development Association, Brass Recyclability
Sources: National Recycling live scrap rates (viewed 26 October 2026; typical range shown there ₹810–₹895/kg); Copper Development Association, “Brass Recyclability”.
Old brass utensils price: how it’s worked out
There is no fixed price for an old brass utensil. Buyers don’t price a lota or a thali as an object; they price the metal in it. The calculation is simple:
Weight of clean brass (kg) × the day’s brass rate = what the brass is worth.
The day’s rate moves with copper and zinc prices, which is why it changes almost every day. Our live scrap rates page publishes the brass, copper and aluminium buying rate with the date it was updated. To get a rough figure for your own lot, enter the weight in the brass rate calculator.
The listed rate is for clean, sorted brass. Two things decide how close your utensils get to it:
- How much of the weight is actually brass. Iron screws in a samai base, steel rivets on a handi, wooden or plastic handles and lacquered or painted finishes are not brass.
- Whether it’s really brass. Brass-plated iron, bronze and kansa look similar on a shelf but are different metals with different rates.
A dent, a crack, a missing lid or a black, tarnished surface doesn’t matter. Scrap is bought by weight, so you don’t need to polish anything.
Is it real brass? Four checks you can do at home
Plated items are the most common surprise in a box of old pital. An appraiser quoted by House Beautiful put the difference bluntly:
“real, solid brass is worth two to five times more than a plated brass object.”Nora Curl, appraiser, quoted in House Beautiful
1. The magnet test
Hold a fridge magnet to each piece. Brass and copper are not magnetic. If the magnet sticks, the item is iron or steel with a brass coating, or it has an iron part inside. Keep those aside; they’re sold as iron.
2. The colour test
Brass is yellow-gold. Copper is reddish-brown. Kansa (bell metal) is a paler, greyish gold and rings when tapped. Bronze idols are usually darker and browner than brass. Put each colour in its own bag.
3. The weight test
Solid brass feels heavy for its size. A large-looking lamp or vase that feels light is often thin sheet, hollow-cast, or plated tin or aluminium.
4. The scratch test
On the underside, scratch gently with a key or coin. If the gold colour carries on underneath, it’s solid. If a silver or grey metal shows through, it’s plated.
This short Hindi video from Bhatthi to Rasoi shows how to tell real brass and bronze apart at home:
Video: Bhatthi to Rasoi, “Even Shopkeepers Won’t Tell You This! How to Identify Real Bronze and Brass”.
Brass, kansa, copper or plated: how each is sold
Old kitchen and puja sets usually mix several metals. Sorted, each one is paid at its own rate. Mixed, the whole lot tends to get the lowest one.
| Metal | How to spot it | Common items | How it’s priced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brass (pital) | Yellow-gold, not magnetic | Lotas, diyas, samai, puja thalis, idols, taps | By weight at the day’s brass rate |
| Copper (tamba) | Reddish-brown, not magnetic | Handas, kalash, water pots, bottles | By weight at the copper rate, which is higher than brass |
| Kansa (bell metal) | Pale grey-gold, rings when tapped | Thalis, katoris, bells | By weight, quoted from a photo |
| Bronze | Darker, browner gold | Older idols and bells | By weight, quoted from a photo |
| Brass-plated iron | Magnet sticks, grey under a scratch | Decor pieces, cheap lamps, hardware | As iron scrap |
| Stainless steel | Silver, usually not magnetic | Dabbas, cooker bodies, plates | By weight, at a much lower rate |
Copper handas and kalash are worth separating carefully because copper sells for more than brass. Our old utensils pickup weighs brass, copper, kansa, steel and aluminium separately, so nothing is paid at the wrong rate.
What lowers the price, and what to remove
- Wooden and plastic handles. Unscrew or pull them off. They add weight that isn’t brass.
- Iron screws, rods and bases. Old samais and lamps often have an iron rod through the middle. The magnet will find it.
- Tin lining (kalai). Brass cookware was traditionally lined with tin. It’s thin and doesn’t need to come off, but say so if a piece has it.
- Soldered joints and mixed fittings. Old taps and bathroom fittings often have rubber washers or steel parts. Strip what comes off easily.
- Dirt and wax. Wipe off oil, ghee and wax from diyas and samais. You don’t need to polish.
When old brass is worth more than scrap
Most household pital is ordinary utensil brass, and scrap is the right price for it. A few pieces deserve a second look before they go on the scale:
- Engraved or hand-chased trays, paan daans and boxes from older family sets
- Heavy cast idols, bells and lamps with fine detail
- Pieces with a maker’s mark or a date
If you think something might be collectible, show it to an antique dealer first. If they aren’t interested, you can still sell it as scrap brass.
This Hindi video looks at how old brass, kansa and copper utensils are still bought and traded, and why some sets are valued more than others:
Video: Vijay Dahiya Apne Vichar, “पीतल, काँसा व ताँबे के पुराने बर्तन मिलते भी है और ख़रीदें भी जाते हैं” (Hindi).
Where to sell old brass utensils in Mumbai
You have three realistic options:
- Your building’s kabadiwala. Quick, but metal is often weighed together on a spring scale at one rate.
- A metal shop or bhangar dealer. Rates can be good, but you carry heavy bags there and it takes time.
- A doorstep scrap pickup. One visit for brass, copper, raddi, appliances and electronics, weighed at home.
If your society is planning a Diwali clear-out, residents can pool their old utensils in one society scrap drive, with each flat weighed and paid separately. And if the loft also has a dead mixer or an old cooler, we take those too; see old appliances pickup.
How a National Recycling pickup works
- Send 2–3 photos on WhatsApp of your utensils with your area in Mumbai or Thane. We reply with an estimate.
- Pick a slot. Book by 4 November for a pickup before Dhanteras (Friday, 6 November). Lakshmi Puja is on Sunday, 8 November 2026.
- Sorted and weighed in front of you. Brass, copper, kansa, steel and aluminium are weighed separately on a digital scale.
- Paid before we leave. Cash or UPI on the spot, with a certificate for every pickup.
Clearing more than utensils? Our Diwali cleaning guide covers what to sell, recycle or throw room by room, and the kabadi items list shows everything a scrap buyer takes and how each is priced. All of it is on our Diwali scrap pickup page.
Sell your old brass utensils this Diwali
Free doorstep pickup across Mumbai and Thane. Better rates than your local kabadiwala, each metal weighed on a digital scale in front of you, cash or UPI before we leave.
Book pickup on WhatsAppSee all utensils we buyReplacing an old AC this Diwali too? Here’s how the old AC scrap price is worked out for window and split ACs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the price of old brass utensils per kg?
Old brass utensils are sold by weight at the day’s brass scrap rate, which changes daily. On 26 October 2026 our live rates page listed brass at ₹852.14/kg for clean, sorted brass (updated 25 October). Handles, iron parts and plating reduce what a lot is worth.
Do dents, cracks or tarnish lower the price?
No. Scrap brass is bought by weight, so dents, cracks, missing lids and black tarnish don’t matter. You don’t need to polish anything.
How do I know if my utensil is real brass?
Use a fridge magnet: real brass is not magnetic. Then check the colour, the weight for its size, and scratch the underside. If grey metal shows through, it’s plated.
Is kansa the same as brass?
No. Kansa (bell metal) is a copper and tin alloy, while brass is copper and zinc. Kansa is paler, rings when tapped, and is weighed and priced separately.
Should I sell old brass idols and lamps as scrap?
Ordinary pieces, yes. Engraved, heavy cast or marked pieces may be worth more to an antique dealer, so show them first. If they’re not interested, you can still sell them as scrap.
When should I book a brass utensil pickup before Diwali?
Book by 4 November 2026 for a pickup before Dhanteras on 6 November. Lakshmi Puja is on 8 November, and slots fill up in the last week.
Sources
- National Recycling: live scrap rates (brass, copper, aluminium)
- Copper Development Association: Brass Recyclability
- House Beautiful via AOL: Your antique brass is probably fake, here’s how to check
- Drishti IAS: Moradabad’s brassware industry
- Bhatthi to Rasoi: How to identify real bronze and brass (video)
- Vijay Dahiya Apne Vichar: Old brass, kansa and copper utensils (video)