Part IV.] Puran Sing : Note on Burmese Varnish. 
289 
take place iu damp uuwarmed atmospliere, as genuine lacquer will 
set neither by the aid of heat nor by sun light nor iu dry atmosphere. 
The Burmese lacquerer dries his wares in a dark subterranean 
cellar, while in Japan the necessary conditions are fufilled by 
choosing a chest, cupboard or chamber, the air of which is kept 
constantly moist by artificial means. After each application the 
freshly dried coat must be rubbed, smoothed and polished. The 
operation of polishing need not be very perfect, if the surface has 
been roughly polished before; but the polishing of the uppermost 
coat towards the final stage of the lacquering process is very im- 
portant and should be done as thoroughly as possible. After the 
article under treatment has been coated with varnish and coloured 
ti the desired extent, it is painted all over with the fine, finishing 
lacquer, which, as has been said above, is obtained by straining the 
varnish once or twice through strong cotton cloth. ^ The coat is 
allowed to dry, then rubbed down and finally polished. This ap- 
plication of the pure fine varnish is repeated, and the dried coat 
is rubbed down and polished as often as necessary till the requisite 
degree of polish has been obtained.^ 
It is to be noted that the principle of the lacquering process as 
practised in Japan is identical with that of the Burmese process as 
described above. [Cf. Sir George Watt, on Burmese Lacquer Ware, 
Kew Bulletin, 1905, No. 5, pp. 142-148; Prof. J. J. Rein, loc. cif., 
p. 356, and p. 357 et seq.) 
The remarkable similarity in appearance of the Japanese and 
Burmese varnishes, coupled with the fact that the methods of their 
employment in lacquer work in Japan and Burma are similar in 
many respects, led the author to suppose that the two lacqiiers might 
be identical in chemical composition. The present investigation 
was undertaken with a view to deciding whether or not this sup- 
]iosition is correct. 
I am not aware that an;vdhing has so far been done to investi- 
gate the chemical composition of the Burmese varnish with the 
exception of some simple experiments by Sir David Brewster (vide 
infra, p. 51 bv which he showed that the economic value 
’ In .Jap.m the varnish is said to be trained through Yofhina-f/oma, also called 
Urushi-Koshi, i.e., lacquer filter (.7. .1. Rein. lor. rit.. p. 356). Yoshino-ga::.ii is a 
fine variety of the soft, flexible and porous but very firm papers made in .Japan 
from Broussonetia Panj/rifera. 
‘ George Watt, Burmrae Tarqnrr Ware nrrrl Burmese Tarnish. 
B 2 
