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XXVII.—Observations on the Lacquered or Japanned Ware of Ava. By 
Major Henry Burney, Political Resident at Amarapura. 
Read the 18th of February 1832. 
Tuts manufacture has been named Lacquered Ware, from an idea, I 
suppose, that lac forms a part of it; but this is a mistake, no lac is used, 
and the bright red colour is given by vermilion, which is made by the 
Burmese from cinnabar (ayain), imported by the Chinese caravans from 
Yun-nan. 
The principal material is known to be the Burmese varnish, or Theet-tsee, 
which means literally “* wood oil.” There must be a great abundance of it 
in this country, as the usual price at the capital is only three-quarters of a 
tical per viss, or about five-pence per pound; but it is often much adul- 
terated, and requires to be strained through a piece of cloth before being 
used, There are three descriptions of it in Ava. The first and purest is 
called Theet-tsee ayoung-den, from ayoung colour, forming of itself a beau- 
tiful black colour. ‘The second is called Theet-tsee anee-byau, from anee red, 
being that commonly used with vermilion or red colour. This is said to 
have one quarter of water mixed with it. The third and worst description 
is called Theet-tsee tha-yo-byau, from tha-yo, a paste, which will hereafter 
be described, and to make which this ¢heet-tsee is generally used. ‘This 
last kind has no less than one-half of water mixed with it, and there is said 
to be no difficulty in making water combine with the ¢heet-tsee, by rubbing 
the two well together in the sun. ‘The price of the best theet-tsee is just 
now at Ava seven éicals for ten viss. 
The Burmese workmen declare that the varnish will not ‘ ai/,” sleep, 
or lie, or dry well, if collected from the tree when it is in fructification, 
which, they say, occurs during the three months of January, February, and 
March. Nor will the lacquered-ware, during the process of manufacture, 
become soon and properly “ma,” or hard, in the dry hot months before the 
rains set.in, or at any time so well as when it is lodged, as Dr. Watuicu 
understood, ‘‘in dark and cool subterraneous vaults.” The varnish is 
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