In making raised lacquer on inferior articles, the methods do not vary much from the good kinds; the work is merely less carefully executed. The saving is in the quantity and quality of the gold - dust used, and the absence of minute after - work, or in the use of silver and tin instead of gold-dust. In the very cheapest kinds, burnt tin - dust is used instead of charcoal over the first coat of Shitamaki, This is burnished bright, and over it a thin coating of lacquer and gold - dust is applied. At first it looks well, but loses its colour in a year or two. By using tin - powder the same height is attained in 1 coat that would necessitate at. least 3 coats of lacquer and charcoal - dust. This kind of Work is, however, only used for cheap articles for foreign export, and has been quite lately introduced.

(D) Lacquering On Metal

For lacquering on iron or copper, brass or silver, the metal is smoothed and polished, and then given a coating of "crude lacquer" or " black lacquer" the article is put over a charcoal fire, and the lacquer is burnt on to the metal till all smoke ceases to escape. The fire must not be too fierce, and the metal must not be allowed to get red - hot, or the lacquer turns to ashes. After the lacquer has burnt quite hard, the surface is rubbed smooth with Lagerstraemia charcoal; these operations are repeated 3 or 4 times, till a good foundation of lacquer has been obtained. Then the' same operations exactly are repeated as in making best "black lacquer," Togi-dashi, "flat gold lacquer," or "raised gold lacquer," only that the lacquer is burnt dry over the fire instead of being dried in the press. The lacquer is thus rendered quite hard and very durable. After the first 2 or 3 coats have been burnt on, the subsequent drying processes can be carried on in the damp press, should it be so desired.

In winter, or when any article is required in a burry, the workmen sometimes put a charcoal fire in the press, over which a pan of hot water is placed. The steam which is thus generated helps to dry the lacquer in an hour or two, which would take 24 hours to harden ordinarily, but the lacquer thus dealt with loses its strength, and is never very hard. "Black lacquer" turns a rusty brown, the colouring virtue of the iron being apparently lost, and therefore this plan is never adopted for good work, and in second - rate work only for under - coats.

Nashiji (Pear Basis)

This style of ornamentation, occupying an intermediate position between plain and ornamental lacquer, is treated of last. Till the opening of Japan to foreign trade, it was in the hands of workers in gold lacquer, but now for the most part all Nashiji on articles intended for exportation is applied by workers in plain lacquer. In making best Nashiji, as in Togi - dashi, the first 22 processes are identical with Honji (Class I.). A coating of Hose is applied, and the gold - dust is sprinkled over the surface through one or other of the bamboo tubes, according to the fineness required. The article is set to dry in the press for 48 hours, and is then given a coating of pure transparent varnish. This is set to dry for 3 or 4 days, when it is roughly ground with Magnolia enarcoal, and a second coat of transparent lacquer is given. The article is set to dry for 48 hours, and then ground with Magnolia charcoal till a perfectly smooth surface is obtained. Transparent lacquer is then applied with a piece of cotton - wool, and wiped off again with soft paper, and the article is set to dry for 24 hours. It is then polished with a mixture of Tono - ko and camellia charcoal powder and a little oil.

Next, a coating of Yoshino lacquer is given, and wiped off with paper; the article is set to dry for 12 hours, and then it is polished with deer's-horn ashes and oiL This is repeated 3 times to finish the article.

The same processes are gone through when using silver instead of gold dust.

For cheap qualities, tin - dust is used, and the powder is scattered on glue immediately above a coating of Kanqji (whiting and glue). When the article is dry, it is burnished with To - kusa (Equisetwri), and as soon as it presents a bright surface a coating of pure transparent lacquer, with gamboge, is given to it. It is set to dry for a day in the press, and ground with Magnolia charcoal. Over this a coating of Shu - urushi (transparent varnish containing oil) is applied, and another drying for 24 hours completes the process. (J. J. Quin.)

The best lacquered wares are dear on the spot. The Japanese are great connoisseurs of the art, and will not scruple to give prices which make. European bidders draw back. The lacquer itself is comparatively high - priced. Its collection entails the expenditure of a good deal of time and trouble; the culture of the trees that furnish it is not properly understood or systematically carried out. In the province of Toshino, 375 gr. is considered a fair yield for a well - grown tree. In the districts frequented by foreigners, the current prices of the several sorts of lacquer were (1875) as below:-

Dr. Wagener doubts whether Japanese lacquer could be advantageously used to any extent in European domestic architecture and cabinet - work. The process of lacquering is far more tedious and elaborate than graining, varnishing, and other decorative processes used in Europe. The labour required would be greatly increased by its application to cabinet - work of European design in place of similar object! of Japanese model. Labour, too, is much dearer in Europe. In Japan, the weekly wages of a good lacquerer do not exceed 3s. to 3s. The hardnew, durability, and brilliant metallic hues of these lacquers render them suitable for ornamenting fancy goods of all kinds in wood, paper, glass, porcelain, etc, a purpose for which they are very extensively employed in Japan. (Honats.f. d. Orient.)

The following details were communicated to 'La Mature' by the Japanese Commissioners at the Paris Exhibition, the accompanying illustrations (Fig. 134) being copied from a Japanese treatise on the subject written by Igarashi in 1570.