Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-01-03
LACQUER WARE.
A Description of the Lacquer Process,
by Japanese.


In Japan the finest pieces of lacquer
ware are valued and admired more than
any other works of art.
The art of lacquering is distinctly
Japanese in its origin, and is already
more than 1900 years old. The pieces
made in those Olden times are still
extant in the country.
The raw lacquer, chiefly the SeShine
wrtGsbi, is used for printing, with an
addition of burnt clay dust, or fine
stone powder, SO as to produce a coat
ing Of the utmost hardness The pre-
pared lacquer, after having been strain
ed, IS slightly transparent when applied
in thin layers, and possesses a color
similar to that of shellac; this trans
parency is occasionally increased by
small addition of drying-oil, which, by
mere hardening, produces sufficient
glossiness of the surface, whereas the
pure lacquer has to be polished. For
coloring, the lacquer is mixed with
cinnabar or piment, red oxide of iron or
Prussian blue, etc.
The black lacquer is prepared in the
following manner: 1t is effected with
out any additions of solid particles,
such as lampblack or similar substan-
ces, but merely by stirring the crude
lacquer for day or two in the open
air, whereupOn it assumes a very dark
brown color Towards the end of
the operation small quantity of
water, which has been kept standing
for a few days, mingled with iron fill
ings or gall nut infusion darkened by
the addition of iron, is added, and the
whole stirred again until part of the
water has eyaporated; then the lacquer
acquires proper cOnsistence and color.
The addition of this water is said to
cause the highest brilliancy and black
ness of lacquer. Sometimes the colored
lacquer is used when the final coating
is required to be of transparent
nature. Either the unmiXed, strained
lacquer, or that peculiar kind of lacquer
which has been thinned by an addition
of oil, is used.
The mixing of lacquer with hardening
or coloring powder is generally effected
by the Iacquerer himself on wooden
board with a wooden spatula Just before
using it. Finally, the thick mixture is
forcibly strained through a piece of
paper called yoshinogami. Should the
lacquer become too stiff for use, some
bits of camphor are crushed and
thoroughly mixed with the lacquer by
spatula, and then it becomes more
liquid.
The primary coatings are put on
with mixture of raw lacquer and
burnt clay powder, and afterwards
stone powder, when hardened they are
rubbed with q grindstOne to smooth
and polish the surface. The next two
or three layers are done with inferior
kinds of the black or colOred lacquer,
according to the color to be produced.
The lacquer is applied in the first place
with wooden spatula and afterwards
with very stiff flat brush, so as to
smoother and spread the lacquer equal
~. The surface is then ground with
water and charcoal, of which latter two
kinds are used, the one coarse and
hard, and the other light and soft. AS
popularity, it may be stated that the
freshly lacquered objects are placed in
large wooden boxes; the inside of which
has been sprinkled or washed with
water, SO that the process of hardening
takes place in dark and damp atmos-
phere.
The black lacquer, when finished, is
repeatedly rubbed with a ball slightly
dipped in the Seshime lacquer and each
time carefully polished with powder
made Of deer horn. The gold-sprinkled
lacquer, called Nashijj Literally pear
surface), is produced by sitting a
certain amount Of gold leaf cut into
small pieces on to fresh coating of
SeSltnlc lacquer. When hardened, the
surface IS smOothed and then coated
with a choice quality of lacquer, called
the NaSbjj 1rushj, which is prepared
by carefully straining and mixing it
with q small quantity of gamboge. The
lacquer, when applied in thick layers.
IS Opaque, and only becomes transpa-
rent in thin layers; so that by grinding
the final coating with the charcoal, the
gold sprinkles underneath can be made
more or less visible according to the
will of the artist.
The relief paintings are done with
mixture of red oxide of iron and lac
quer, upon which fine charcoal powder
IS brought TO bear before the lacquer
has hardened. This again is coated
with lacquer and colcothar, the opera
ton being repeated until the required
rollet works have been produced.
The metallic powders, viz, gold,
oAANSA, blOuHt, Cue, arc applied TO Inc
final coating whilst the lacquer is still
IN yiscous condition, so that the
powders being, so to say, soaked into
the fresh lacquer, thick layer, chiefly
composed of metal, is produced After
the lacquer has become hard the
painter removes the surplus of the
powders, and either poiishes the paint
ing or simply rubs it over, according
to the result desired. 1t is an art
which admits almost of as many diff
ferent methods of producing certain
effect, as that of oil painting
By mixing sort of paste made of
bean powder or the white of eggs with
the lacquer, he can thicken it to such
an extent as to give it kind of plastic
ity, admitting the possibility of making
impressions which remain visible after
hardening. This is done, for instance,
with the so-called Tsugaru lacquer,
which presents marbled appearance,