JAPANNING is the art of giving a coating of varnish and other materials to certain manufactures, by which a resemblance is produced to the beautiful lacquered wares of Japan and China. The term is more generally applied in this country to metal works upon which a dark-colored varnish is applied with heat. but the process is quite as extensively applied to papier-milehet works. See LACQUERING. The japanned works of our manufactures are chiefly iron and tin, such as coal-boxes, tin canisters, and other articles, which are thereby made more ornamental, and are at the same time protected from rust.
The material consists of anime or copal varnish, alone, or mixed with Ivory-black, to produce a black japan; or with asphalt, to produce a dark or light brown, according to the quantity used. For very cheap tinned wares, a single coating is all that is usually given: After being varnished, they are put into a heated oven for a time, after which they are ready for use; but in the case of more valuable articles, such as the handsome coal-boxes of iron which are now extensively manufactured, and which are still further ornamented by gilding and painting, several coats of black japan varnish are applied, each being dried in the oven previous to the application of the next, so that a coating of sufficient substance to bear polishing is thus obtained. Rotten-stone and
Tripoli powder are used by the polisher, and a beautiful surface is obtained, in uo respect inferior to that of polished jet. The polishium. powders are at first applied with leather, but the finishing is done by women, who use the palms of their hands only, with small quantities of Tripoli.
The beautiful black surface thus produced is admirably adapted for decoration by gilding; and much taste is now shown in these matters by our manufacturers, who sup pass all others in the high finish and cheapness of japanned wares. Under LACQUERING will be given the Japanese process, which is thus imitated on metal, under the name of japanning, in Europe.