pigment where the whole surface is to be of one simple colour, or of
the varnish, with or without pigment, on which some painting or other
form of decoration is afterwards to be applied. It is best to form
this ground with the desired pigment incorporated with shellac
varnish, except in the case of a white japan ground which requires
special treatment, or when great brilliancy is a desideratum and other
methods must be adopted. The shellac varnish for the japan ground is
best prepared as follows: shellac 1-1/4 lb., methylated spirits 1
gallon. Dissolve in a well-corked vessel in a warm place and with
frequent shaking. After two or three days the shellac will be
dissolved. It is then recommended to filter the solution through a
flannel bag, and when all that will come through freely has done so
the varnish should be run into a proper sized vessel and kept
carefully corked for use. The bag may then be squeezed with the hand
till the remainder of the fluid varnish is forced through it, and this
if fairly clear may be used for rough purposes or added to the next
batch. Pigments of any nature whatever may be used with the shellac
varnish to give the desired tint to the ground, and where necessary
they may be mixed together to form any compound colour, such as blue
and yellow to form green. The pigments used for japan grounds should
all be previously ground very smooth in spirits of turpentine, so
smooth that the paste does not grate between the two thumb nails, and
then only are they mixed with the varnish. This mixture of pigment and
varnish vehicle should then be spread over the surface to be japanned
very carefully and very evenly with a camel-hair brush. As metals do
not require a priming coat of size and whiting, the japan ground may
be applied to metallic surfaces forthwith without any preliminary
treatment except thorough cleansing, except in the cases specially
referred to further on. On metallic surfaces three to four coats are
applied, and in the interval between each coat the articles must be