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JAPANNING. 



Japanning is properly the art of varnishing and 

 painting ornaments on wood, in the same manner 

 as is done by the natives of Japan in the East 

 Indies. 



The substances which admit of being japanned 

 are almost all kinds that are dry and rigid, or 

 not too flexible ; as wood, metals, leather, and 

 paper prepared. 



Wood and metals do not require any other pre- 

 paration but to have their surfaces perfectly even 

 and clean ; but leather should be securely strained, 

 either on frames or on boards ; as its bending, or 

 forming folds, would otherwise crack and force off 

 the coats of varnish. Paper should be treated in 

 the same manner, and have a previous strong coat 

 of some kind of size ; but it is rarely made the 

 subject of japanning till it is converted into papier 

 mache, or wrought by other means into such form, 

 that its original state, particularly with respect to 

 flexibility, is changed. 



One principal variation from the method for- 

 merly used in japanning is, the omitting any prim- 

 ing, or undercoat, on the work to be japanned. 

 In the older practice, such a priming was always 

 employed ; the use of it was to economize the 

 varnish by filling up the inequalities in the surface. 

 But there is a great inconvenience arising from 

 the use of it, that the japan coats are constantly 

 liable to be cracked and peeled off by any vio- 

 lence, and will not last near so long as the articles 

 which are japanned without any such priming. 



The French still retain the use of this under- 

 coat, and their japanned goods are upon that 



