LACQUER WORK. 359 



the Naka-nuri coating. This work consumes a great deal of time, 

 but is very important. It must be continued till all the lustre has 

 disappeared and the surface is perfectly smooth. The workman 

 uses for this process the fine-pored light H6-no-ki-sumi, the char- 

 coal of Magnolia hypoleuca, which he holds in the first three fingers 

 of his right hand, and a wet cloth is held in the remaining part of 

 the hand. Besides these, he has by his side ready for use a pail of 

 fresh water, and a small polishing stone on which he rubs off and 

 sharpens his charcoal from time to time. When the work is fin- 

 ished, the article is perfectly smooth and of a dead black colour. 

 The groundwork is now ended. It has served the purpose of 

 making the wood more durable, and covering it so that nothing 

 can be seen of its nature or the lacquering be influenced by it, and 

 so that the further coatings will not strike in. 



The divergences from this very minute but thorough ground- 

 work process, which was always formerly followed in making the 

 best lacquer wares, are such as are calculated to save material, 

 especially Se-shime-urushi, and time. They are as follows : — 



1. In process 4, the article to be lacquered is not covered with 

 canvas or Mino-gami, but it is considered enough to cover the 

 joints, which have been smoothed over with Kokuso, with strips of 

 cheap writing paper. 



2. The Shita-ji (Shita = under, ji = ground) takes the place of the 

 operations 3, 6, and 7. The lute used in making this groundwork 

 contains no lacquer-varnish, but is a mixture of boiled glue, brick- 

 dust, lampblack, and hot water. This is used to paint over the 

 bottom of tea trays, but not the sides, nor dishes, boxes, etc. 



3. The Sabi is applied twice. 



4. Between the 9th and loth process, there is a new one, a coating 

 of Shibu, the juice of unripe fruits of the persimon {Diospyros kaki). 



5. The Naka-nuri-togi is much more superficially done. 



In Wakamatsu, Yonezawa, Niigata and other northern cities 

 where lacquer industry is a specialty, a mixture of Shibu and 

 pulverized pine-charcoal or lampblack follows immediately after 

 puttying (Kokuso-o-kau), and then comes rubbing off, which ends 

 the groundwork process. 



Ceramics which are to be ornamented with lacquer must be un- 

 glazed. Putty will not adhere to glazed clay wares, nor will 

 lacquer, as is shown by three Chinese vases in the Royal Porcelain 

 Collection at Dresden, whose lacquering on glaze has pulled off in 

 many places. The groundwork is done by Sabi (see process 8, 

 above) and Naka-nuri. 



b. Final Work of the Nuri-mono-shi. 



Whatever may be the manner of groundwork, the process of 

 rubbing till a smooth though not reflecting surface of dark grey 

 to grey black is reached, is the final one. On this under layer are 

 laid all the varied coats which impart to the finished Japanese wares 



