JAPANNING is the art of producing a highly -varnished surface on wood, metal, or other hard substance, sometimes of one colour only, but more commonly figured and ornamented. The process has received its name from that of the island of Japan, whence articles so varnished were first brought to Europe ; though the manufacture is also ex tensively practised by the Chinese, Siamese, Birmese, and other nations of eastern Asia, among whom it was suggested most probably by the possession of a tree, which affords with little preparation a beautiful varnish, exceedingly well adapted for the purpose, and which hardens better than those prepared in Europe.
The appearance of japanned work is as various as the taste and fancy of the artists employed in it. Sometimes it is a plain black or red, with a gilded or painted border; or it is an imitation of marble, of fine grained or rare wood, or of tortoise-shell ; sometimes a drawing, with high finish, brilliant colour, and showy patterns; and occasionally fine copperplate engravings are applied to a japan ned surface with good effect. In all cases the work is highly polished and varnished.
Japanning is applied to ladies' work-boxes and work-tables, to toilet-boxes, cabinets, tea caddies, fire-screens, tea-trays, bread-baskets, snuffers and trays, candlesticks, and a variety of other articles.
Three processes are usually required in japanning : laying the ground, painting, and finishing. In addition to these processes, whenever the article to be japanned is not sufficiently smooth to receive the varnish, or when it is too soft or coarse, it is sometimes prepared or primed before any of the proper japanning processes are applied. Almost every workman has his own peculiar modes of work ing, and his own receipts for making and mix ing his varnishes. In whatever manner the work has been painted or printed, or if all addition to the plain colour of the ground has been dispensed with, nothing now remains but the finishing. This is a very simple pro cess : the workman chooses a suitable varnish, and passes it over the work with a brush several times, until he judges the coating to be thick enough to bear the polish.