JAPANNING

The art of covering paper, wood, or metal with a thick coat of a hard brilliant varnish: it originated in Japan, whence articles so prepared were first brought to Europe. The material, if of wood or papier-machee, is first sized, polished, and varnished; it is then coloured, or painted in various devices, and afterwards covered with a highly transparent varnish or lacquer, which is ultimately dried at a high temperature and carefully polished. [s. 631]