330 lacquf:r-work. 



are unrivalled, and some of the old articles, their 

 pervading colour being peacock -l)lue, are readily paid 

 for by their weight in silver. In enamel I have like- 

 wise seen some very artistic ornaments, but mostly in 

 sombre colours. 



Lacquer-work is an ai't originating in Japan. The 

 gold varnish of bygone days is seldom seen now, and 

 exceedingly dear, but even late productions are 

 sometimes very handsome, although they ought hardly 

 to be named in the same breath. The red lacquer, so 

 profusely used in the decoration of the temples, merits 

 great praise ; in large masses, tliis and the black can 

 not be distinguished from marble in appearance. 

 Smaller articles are frequently inlaid with mother-of- 

 pearl, coral, ivory, and precious stones of a secondary 

 order, and are very effective. The principal ingredients 

 of lacquer or varnish are the gum from the Rus vernix, 

 minutely pulverized charcoal, and sometimes leaf-gold 

 ground very fine. If the grain of the wood is to be 

 concealed, they j)lace beneath the varnish a dark 

 ground, composed partly of the fine sludge caught in 

 the trough under the grindstone. 



Carving in ivory is also a great accomplishment of 

 the Japanese, their quaintly picturesque groups of 

 beggars and romping children are splendid specimens, 

 and so are the beautiful little cabinets, mostly carved 



