the art of varnishing and drawing figures 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 every kind that are dry and rigid, or not too flexible; as wood, metals, leather, and paper prepared.

Wood and metals do not require any other preparation, but to have their surface 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: and 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 mâché, or wrought by other means into such form, that its original state, particularly with respect to flexibility, is lost.

One principal variation from the method formerly used in japanning is, the using or omitting any priming or undercoat on the work to be japanned. In the older practice, such priming was always used; and is at present retained in the French manner of japanning coaches and snuff-boxes of the papier mâché; but in the Birmingham manufacture here, it has been always rejected. The advantage of using such priming or undercoat is, that it makes a saving in the quantity of varnish used; because the matter of which the priming is composed fills up the inequalities of the body to be varnished; and makes it easy, by means of rubbing and water-polishing, to gain an even surface for the varnish: and this was therefore such a convenience in the case of wood, as the giving a hardness and firmness to the ground was also in the case of leather, that it became an established method; and is therefore retained even in the instance of the papier mâché by the French, who applied the received method of japanning to that kind of work on its introduction. There is nevertheless this inconvenience always attending the use of an undercoat of size, that the japan coats of varnish and colour will be constantly liable to be cracked and peeled off by any violence, and will not endure near so long as the bodies japanned in the same manner, but without any such priming; as may be easily observed in comparing the wear of the Paris and Birmingham snuff-boxes; which latter, when good of their kind, never peel or crack, or suffer any damage, unless by great violence, and such a continued rubbing as wastes away the substance of the varnish; while the japan coats of the Parisians crack and fly off in flakes, whenever any knock or fall, particularly near the edges, exposes them to be injured. But the Birmingham manufacturers, who originally practised the japanning only on metals, to which the reason above given for the use of priming did not extend, and who took up this art of themselves as an invention, of course omitted at first the use of any such undercoat; and not finding it more necessary in the instance of papier mâché than on metals, continue still to reject it. On which account, the boxes of their manufacture are, with regard to wear, greatly better than the French.

The laying on the colour in gum-water, instead of varnish, is also another variation from the method of japanning formerly practised: but the much greater strength of the work, where they are laid on in varnish or oil, has occasioned this way to be exploded with the greatest reason in all regular manufactures: however, they who may practise japanning on cabinets, or other such pieces as are not exposed to much wear and violence, Japanning, violence, for their amusement only, and consequently may not find it worth their while to encumber themselves with the preparations necessary for the other methods, may paint with water-colours on an undercoat laid on the wood or other substance of which the piece to be japanned is formed; and then finished with the proper coats of varnish, according to the methods below taught: and if the colours are tempered with the strongest flaxseed size and honey, instead of gum-water, and laid on very flat and even, the work will not be much inferior in appearance to that done by the other method, and will last as long as the old japan.

Of Japan Grounds.—The proper grounds are either such as are formed by the varnish and colour, where the whole is to remain of one simple colour; or by the varnish either coloured or without colour, on which some painting or other decoration is afterwards to be laid. It is necessary, however, before we proceed to speak of the particular grounds, to show the manner of laying on the priming or undercoat, where any such is used.

This priming is of the same nature with that called clear-coating, or vulgarly clear-coaling, practised erroneously by the house-painters; and consists only in laying on and drying in the most even manner a composition of size and whiting, or sometimes lime instead of the latter. The common size has been generally used for this purpose: but where the work is of a nicer kind, it is better to employ the glovers or the parchment size; and if a third of flaxseed be added, it will be still better, and if not laid on too thick, much less liable to peel and crack. The work should be prepared for this priming, by being well smoothed with the fish-skin or glass-haver; and being made thoroughly clean, should be brushed over once or twice with hot size, diluted with two-thirds of water, if it be of the common strength. The priming should then be laid on with a brush as even as possible; and should be formed of a size whose confidence is between the common kind and glue, mixed with as much whiting as will give it a sufficient body of colour to hide the surface of whatever it is laid upon, but not more.

If the surface be very clean on which the priming is used, two coats of it laid on in this manner will be sufficient; but if, on trial with a fine wet rag, it will not receive a proper water-polish on account of any inequalities not sufficiently filled up and covered, two or more coats must be given it: and whether a greater or less number be used, the work should be smoothed after the last coat but one is dry, by rubbing it with the Dutch rushes. When the last coat is dry, the water polish should be given, by passing over every part of it with a fine rag gently moistened, till the whole appear perfectly plain and even. The priming will then be completed, and the work ready to receive the painting or coloured varnish; the rest of the proceedings being the same in this case as where no priming is used.

When wood or leather is to be japanned, and no priming is used, the best preparation is to lay two or three coats of coarse varnish composed in the following manner.

"Take of rectified spirit of wine one pint, and of coarser feed-lac and resin each two ounces. Dissolve the feed-lac and resin in the spirit; and then strain off the varnish."

This varnish, as well as all others formed of spirit of wine, must be laid on in a warm place; and if it can be conveniently managed, the piece of work to be varnished should be made warm likewise: and for the same reason all dampness should be avoided; for either cold or moisture chills this kind of varnish, and prevents it taking proper hold of the substance on which it is laid.

When the work is so prepared, or by the priming with the composition of size and whiting above described, the proper japan ground must be laid on, which is much the best formed of shell-lac varnish, and the colour desired, if white be not in question, which demands a peculiar treatment, or great brightness be not required, when also other means must be pursued.

The colours used with the shell-lac varnish may be any pigments whatever which give the tint of the ground desired; and they may be mixed together to form browns or any compound colours.

As metals never require to be undercoated with whiting, they may be treated in the same manner as wood or leather, when the undercoat is omitted, except in the instances particularly spoken of below.

White Japan Grounds.—The forming a ground perfectly white, and of the first degree of hardness, remains hitherto a desideratum, or matter sought for, in the art of japanning, as there are no substances which form a very hard varnish but what have too much colour not to deprive the whiteness, when laid on of a due thickness over the work.

The nearest approach, however, to a perfect white varnish, already known, is made by the following composition.

"Take flake-white, or white lead, washed over and ground up with a sixth of its weight of starch, and then dried; and temper it properly for spreading with the mastick varnish prepared as under the article VARNISH.

"Lay these on the body to be japanned, prepared either with or without the undercoat of whiting, in the manner as above ordered; and then varnish it over with five or six coats of the following varnish:

"Provide any quantity of the best feed-lac; and pick out of it all the clearest and whitest grains, reserving the more coloured and fouler parts for the coarse varnishes, such as that used for priming or preparing wood or leather. Take of this picked feed-lac two ounces, and of gum-animi three ounces; and dissolve them, being previously reduced to a grofs powder in about a quart of spirit of wine; and strain off the clear varnish."

The feed-lac will yet give a slight tinge to this composition; but cannot be omitted where the varnish is wanted to be hard; though, when a softer will answer the end, the proportion may be diminished, and a little crude turpentine added to the gum animi to take off the brittleness.

A very good varnish, free entirely from all brittleness, may be formed by dissolving as much gum-animi as the oil will take, in old nut or poppy oil, which must be made to boil gently when the oil is put into it. The Japanning ground of white colour itself may be laid on in this varnish, and then a coat or two of it may be put over the ground; but it must be well diluted with oil of turpentine when it is used. This, though free from brittleness, is nevertheless liable to suffer by being indented or bruised by any slight strokes; and it will not well bear any polish, but may be brought to a very smooth surface without, if it be judiciously managed in the laying it on. It is likewise somewhat tedious in drying, and will require some time where several coats are laid on; as the last ought not to contain much oil of turpentine.

Blue Japan Grounds.—Blue Japan grounds may be formed of bright Prussian blue, or of verditer glazed over by Prussian blue, or of smalt. The colour may be best mixed with shell-lac varnish, and brought to a polishing state by five or six coats of varnish of feed-lac; but the varnish, nevertheless, will somewhat injure the colour by giving to a true blue a cast of green, and fouling in some degree a warm blue by the yellow it contains; where therefore a bright blue is required, and a less degree of hardness can be dispensed with, the method before directed in the case of white grounds must be pursued.

Red Japan Grounds.—For a scarlet Japan ground, vermilion may be used; but the vermilion has a glaring effect, that renders it much less beautiful than the crimson produced by glazing it over with carmine or fine lake; or even with rose pink, which has a very good effect used for this purpose. For a very bright crimson, nevertheless, instead of glazing with carmine, the Indian lake should be used, dissolved in the spirit of which the varnish is compounded, which it readily admits of when good; and in this case, instead of glazing with the shell-lac varnish, the upper or polishing coats need only be used; as they will equally receive and convey the tinge of the Indian lake, which may be actually dissolved by spirit of wine: and this will be found a much cheaper method than the using carmine. If, nevertheless, the highest degree of brightness be required, the white varnishes must be used.

Yellow Japan Grounds.—For bright yellow grounds, the king's yellow, or the turpeth mineral, should be employed, either alone or mixed with fine Dutch pink: and the effect may be still more heightened by dissolving powdered turmeric root in the spirit of wine of which the upper or polishing coat is made; which spirit of wine must be strained from off the dregs before the shell-lac be added to it to form the varnish.

The shell-lac varnish is not equally injurious here, and with greens, as in the case of other colours; because being only tinged with a reddish yellow, it is little more than an addition to the force of the colours.

Yellow grounds may be likewise formed of the Dutch pink only; which, when good, will not be wanting in brightness, though extremely cheap.

Green Japan Grounds.—Green grounds may be produced by mixing the king's yellow and bright Prussian blue, or rather the turpeth mineral and Prussian blue; and a cheap but fouler kind, by verdigris with a little of the above-mentioned yellows, or Dutch-pink. But where a very bright green is wanted, the crystals of verdigris, called distilled verdigris, should be employed; and to heighten the effect, they should be laid on a ground of leaf-gold, which renders the colour extremely brilliant and pleasing.

They may any of them be used successfully with good feed-lac varnish, for the reason before given; but will be still brighter with white varnish.

Orange-coloured Japan Grounds.—Orange-coloured Japan grounds may be formed by mixing vermilion or red-lead with king's yellow, or Dutch pink; or the orange-lac, which will make a brighter orange ground than can be produced by any mixture.

Purple Japan Grounds.—Purple Japan grounds may be produced by the mixture of lake and Prussian blue; or a fouler kind, by vermilion and Prussian blue. They may be treated as the rest with respect to the varnish.

Black Japan Grounds to be produced with Heat.—Black grounds may be formed by either ivory-black or lamp-black; but the former is preferable where it is perfectly good.

These may be always laid on with shell-lac varnish; and have their upper or polishing coats of common feed-lac varnish, as the tinge or fulness of the varnish can be here no injury.

Common Black Japan Grounds on Iron or Copper, produced by means of Heat.—For forming the common black Japan grounds by means of heat, the piece of work to be japanned must be painted over with drying oil; and, when it is of a moderate dryness, must be put into a stove of such degree of heat as will change the oil to black, without burning it so as to destroy or weaken its tenacity. The stove should not be too hot when the work is put into it, nor the heat increased too fast; either of which errors would make it blister; but the slower the heat is augmented, and the longer it is continued, provided it be restrained within the due degree, the harder will be the coat of Japan.—This kind of varnish requires no polish, having received, when properly managed, a sufficient one from the heat.

The fine Tortoise-shell Japan Ground produced by means of Heat.—The best kind of tortoise-shell ground produced by heat is not less valuable for its great hardness, and enduring to be made hotter than boiling water without damage, than for its beautiful appearance. It is to be made by means of a varnish prepared in the following manner:

"Take of good linseed oil one gallon, and of umbre half a pound; boil them together till the oil become very brown and thick; strain it then through a coarse cloth, and set it again to boil; in which state it must be continued till it acquire a pitchy consistence; when it will be fit for use."

Having prepared thus the varnish, clean well the iron or copper plate or other piece which is to be japanned; and then lay vermilion tempered with shell-lac varnish, or with drying oil diluted with oil of turpentine, very thinly, on the places intended to imitate the more transparent parts of the tortoise-shell. When the vermilion is dry, brush over the whole with the black varnish, tempered to a due consistence with oil of turpentine; and when it is set and firm, put the work into a stove, where it may undergo a very strong heat, and must be continued a considerable time; if even three weeks or a month, it will be the better. This was given amongst other receipts by Kunckel; but appears to have been neglected till it was revived with great success in the Birmingham manufactures, where it was not only the ground of snuff-boxes, dressing-boxes, and other such lesser pieces, but of those beautiful tea-waiters which have been so justly esteemed and admired in several parts of Europe where they have been sent. This ground may be decorated with painting and gilding, in the same manner as any other varnished surface, which had best be done after the ground has been duly hardened by the hot stove; but it is well to give a second annealing with a more gentle heat after it is finished.

Method of Painting Japan Work.—Japan work ought properly to be painted with colours in varnish, though, in order for the greater dispatch, and, in some very nice works in small, for the freer use of the pencil, the colours are sometimes tempered in oil; which should previously have a fourth part of its weight of gum animal dissolved in it; or, in default of that, of the gums sandarac or mastic. When the oil is thus used, it should be well diluted with spirit of turpentine, that the colours may be laid more evenly and thin; by which means, fewer of the polishing or upper coats of varnish become necessary.

In some instances, water-colours are laid on grounds of gold, in the manner of other paintings; and are best, when so used, in their proper appearance, without any varnish over them; and they are also sometimes so managed as to have the effect of embossed work. The colours employed in this way, for painting, are both prepared by means of sizing glaze corrected with honey or sugar candy. The body of which the embossed work is raised, need not, however, be tinged with the exterior colour; but may be best formed of very strong gum-water, thickened to a proper consistence by bole-armenian and whiting in equal parts; which being laid on the proper figure, and repaired when dry, may be then painted with the proper colours tempered in the sizing glaze size, or in the general manner with shell-lac varnish.

Manner of Varnishing Japan Work.—The last and finishing part of japanning lies in the laying on and polishing the outer coats of varnish; which are necessary, as well in the pieces that have only one simple ground of colour, as with those that are painted. This is in general best done with common seed-lac varnish, except in the instances and on those occasions where we have already shown other methods to be more expedient; and the same reasons which decide as to the fitness or impropriety of the varnishes, with respect to the colours of the ground, hold equally with regard to those of the painting: for where brightness is the most material point, and a tinge of yellow will injure it, seed-lac must give way to the whiter gums; but where hardness, and a greater tenacity, are most essential, it must be adhered to; and where both are so necessary, that it is proper one should give way to the other in a certain degree reciprocally, a mixed varnish must be adopted.

This mixed varnish, as we have already observed, should be made of the picked seed-lac. The common seed-lac varnish, which is the most useful preparation of the kind hitherto invented, may be thus made:

"Take of seed-lac three ounces, and put it into water to free it from the sticks and filth that are frequently intermixed with it; and which must be done by stirring it about, and then pouring off the water, and adding fresh quantities in order to repeat the operation, till it be freed from all impurities, as it very effectually may be by this means. Dry it then, and powder it grossly, and put it, with a pint of rectified spirit of wine, into a bottle, of which it will not fill above two-thirds. Shake the mixture well together; and place the bottle in a gentle heat, till the seed appear to be dissolved; the shaking being in the meantime repeated as often as may be convenient; and then pour off all that can be obtained clear by this method, and strain the remainder through a coarse cloth. The varnish thus prepared must be kept for use in a bottle well stopp'd."

When the spirit of wine is very strong, it will dissolve a greater proportion of the seed-lac; but this will saturate the common, which is seldom of a strength sufficient for making varnishes in perfection. As the chilling, which is the most inconvenient accident attending those of this kind, is prevented, or produced more frequently, according to the strength of the spirit; we shall therefore take this opportunity of showing a method by which weaker rectified spirits may with great ease, at any time, be freed from the phlegm, and rendered of the first degree of strength.

"Take a pint of the common rectified spirit of wine, and put it into a bottle, of which it will not fill above three parts. Add to it half an ounce of pearl-ashes, salt of tartar, or any other alkaline salt, heated red hot, and powdered, as well as it can be without much loss of its heat. Shake the mixture frequently for the space of half an hour; before which time, a great part of the phlegm will be separated from the spirit, and will appear, together with the undissolved part of the salts, in the bottom of the bottle. Let the spirit then be poured off, or freed from the phlegm and salts, by means of a tritorium or separating funnel; and let half an ounce of the pearl-ashes, heated and powdered as before, be added to it, and the same treatment repeated. This may be done a third time, if the quantity of phlegm separated by the addition of the pearl-ashes appear considerable. An ounce of alum reduced to powder and made hot, but not burnt, must then be put into the spirit, and suffered to remain some hours; the bottle being frequently shaken: after which, the spirit, being poured off from it, will be fit for use."

The addition of the alum is necessary, to neutralize the remains of the alkaline salt or pearl-ashes; which would otherwise greatly deprave the spirit with respect to varnishes and lacquer, where vegetable colours are concerned; and must consequently render another distillation necessary.

The manner of using the seed-lac or white varnishes is the same, except with regard to the substance used in polishing; which, where a pure white or great clearness of other colours is in question, should be itself white; whereas the browner sorts of polishing dust, as being cheaper, and doing their business with greater dispatch, may be used in other cases. The pieces of work to be varnished should be placed near a fire, or in a room where there is a stove, and made perfectly dry; Japanning, dry; and then the varnish may be rubbed over them by the proper brushes made for that purpose, beginning in the middle, and passing the brush to one end; and then with another stroke from the middle, passing it to the other. But no part should be crossed or twice passed over, in forming one coat, where it can possibly be avoided. When one coat is dry, another must be laid over it; and this must be continued at least five or six times, or more, if on trial there be not sufficient thickness of varnish to bear the polish, without laying bare the painting or the ground colour underneath.

When a sufficient number of coats is thus laid on, the work is fit to be polished; which must be done, in common cases, by rubbing it with a rag dipped in Tripoli or pumice-stone, commonly called rotten stone, finely powdered: but towards the end of the rubbing, a little oil of any kind should be used along with the powder; and when the work appears sufficiently bright and glossy, it should be well rubbed with the oil alone, to clean it from the powder, and give it a still brighter lustre.

In the case of white grounds, instead of the Tripoli or pumice-stone, fine putty or whiting must be used; both which should be washed over to prevent the danger of damaging the work from any sand, or other gritty matter that may happen to be commixed with them.

It is a great improvement of all kinds of japan work, to harden the varnish by means of heat; which, in every degree that it can be applied, short of what would burn or calcine the matter, tends to give it a more firm and strong texture. Where metals form the body, therefore, a very hot stove may be used, and the pieces of work may be continued in it a considerable time; especially if the heat be gradually increased; but where wood is in question, heat must be sparingly used, as it would otherwise warp or shrink the body, so as to injure the general figure.