478 JAPANESE LACQUER AND LACQUER WARE. 



up all depressions and once more secure an even surface. The first stei 

 is to rub down the most conspicuous projections until there is much less 

 irregularity of surface, but even after several successive coats of lacquei 

 there will remain some elevations and depressions. 



The next application is a transparent lacquer colored yellow witl 

 arsenic sulphide. This is put on with a hake and spread as evenly as 

 possible. The object of this is to afford a yellow ground for the golc 

 which is to follow. 



A thin coat of shiu ai uruslii is spread over this and the whole com 

 pletely covered with gold leaf. Then successive coats of the same 

 lacquer, which is a transparent red lacquer, are applied until the sui 

 face is quite even. The surface then appears entirely black, beueatl 

 which all the gold and decorations are concealed. 



Instead of a red ground, green is sometimes desired, as in awo urush 

 or green lacquer. To make this the shiu iirushi is mixed with a green 

 pigment. Two samples of the green variety of Wakasa lacquer ar 

 shown on the sample board. The green lacquer is known as seishitsu. 



The next operation is to rub down the surface with stoue toishi o 

 sai Mdo until the design is again visible. The pattern is now reveale( 

 in gold with the pure white of the egg-shell powder to relieve the effect 



The work is finally rubbed with a special kind of charcoal, known a 

 hozumi, which is made from the wood called hinold. This gives a pei 

 feet surface, but to make it more brilliant it is covered with a finishing 

 coat of fine lacquer tsuya uruslii. 



I have chosen the Wakasa variety of lacquer for description becaus 

 I have had better opportunities to observe the different processes i 

 this branch of lacquer work than in the others. Moreover, it has no 

 been hitherto described in detail, so far as I am aware, and, indeed, i 

 is a kind of lacquer far less common in the home as well as in the foreig 

 market. Because of the good quality of the materials used and th 

 quantity of gold required, it is more expensive than the common varil 

 ties and more durable. Descriptions of the methods of painting an 

 decorating other kinds of lacquer ware may be found in various publ 

 cations. 



To make practical application of these remarks I would say that th 

 peculiar qualities of lacquer make it seem worthy of more considers 

 tion than it has received in this country. It gives a surface to woo 

 much harder than our best copal varnish, without brittleness. It take 

 a polish not to be excelled which lasts for centuries, as we may see i 

 the old treasures of Japan. It is proof against boiling water, alcoho 

 and, indeed, it seems to be insoluble in every agent known. It is th 

 best possible application for laboratory tables. I have a set of phc 

 tographer's developing trays, one of which is before yon, that has bee 

 in use for more than a year, aud I find them excellent and cheap. In 

 Japan it is used for many household articles, some of which are before 

 you. 



