JAPANNING  , the

art of coating surfaces of metal, wood, &c., with a variety of varnishes, which are dried and hardened on in stoves or hot chambers . These drying processes constitute the main distinguishing features of the art . The trade owes its name to the fact that it is an imitation of the famous lacquering of Japan (see JAPAN: Art), which, however, is prepared with entirely different materials and processes, and is in all respects much more brilliant, durable and beautiful than any ordinary japan work . Japanning is done in clear transparent varnishes, in black and in body colours; but black japan is the most characteristic and common style of work . The varnish for black japan consists essentially of pure natural asphaltum with a pro-portion of gum anime dissolved in linseed oil and thinned with turpentine . In thin layers such a japan has a rich dark brown colour; it only shows a brilliant black in thicker coatings . For fine work, which has to be smoothed and polished, several coats of black are applied in succession, each being separately dried in the stove at a heat which may rise to about 300° F . Body colours consist of a basis of transparent varnish mixed with the special mineral paints of the desired colours or with bronze powders . The transparent varnish used by japanners is a copal varnish which contains less drying oil and more turpentine than is contained in ordinary painters' oil varnish . Japanning produces a brilliant polished surface which is much more durable and less easily affected by heat, moisture or other influences than any ordinary painted and varnished work . It may be regarded as a process intermediate between ordinary painting and enamelling . It is very extensively applied in the finishing of ordinary ironmongery goods and domestic iron-work, deed boxes, clock dials and papier-mache articles .

The process is also applied to blocks of

slate for making imitation of black and other marbles forchimneypieces, &c., and in a modified form is employed for preparing enamelled, japan or patent leather .