The iao, the base of the varnish, cons from Shensi, costing at present stout $1.30 Mex. per pound. Bach establishment works this out into the grade and colour desired, the chemical formulae used being secrets handed down from father to son, very occasionally sold to others in the trade. This is, of course, true only of the stops making the finer grades of ware. Farther down the scale there is no attempt at secrecy.
Roughly speaking there are four} grades of, Incquer made and sold in Foochow. The best is that produced bby the descendents of Shen Shao An, who is said to have built up his business and reputation in the reign of Chien Lung. The circular issued by one branch of this family (there is considerable rivalry among the various branches, but all seem to] turn out "number one" goods) states, 'I, Cheng-Hee, the eldest grandson succeed t manufacture according [to my ancestor's method." Gold is said to be an important part in the formula used by this family, accounting for some of the lustre 30 noticeable. in their second-grade work is done by quite a group of important shops. The chief of these as far as dealings with the foreign community is concerned is Wang Tai-mi whose place of business ison Nantai Island where most of the foreigners live. Many of his patrons consider his ware equal in finish to the best in Foochow. Quite a distance behind the makers of such ware come the shops where cheap toilet eases, chop sticks, etc., are made, and the fourth grade work is done by the makers lunch baskets and what is known as "rough Incquer."
The process is a lengthy one and, except in its final stages, uninterest~ ing. truly fine piece of ware! the manufacturer needs about eight! months time from the selection of the wood to the delivery of the finished article, This allows for thorough drying of the wooden base after it has been put together and' for a careful drying of the lacquered product. Ordinary work can be turned out ina month or six weeks from the time it %s ordered. The! actual Inequering requires from 10) days to a month, depending upon the fineness of the finish.
The wood ordinarily used is nang-muk, a local product brought dowa from the upper Min River. For Jess valuable ware a fine grade of Pine is occasionally used. One shopkeeper reported that for his best work he uses a flower-wood ase, but he showed no samples and. the finished product would complete ly cover the fine grain of this wood 30 his claim can be taken for what it may seem worth. All of the men interviewed complained because of the inferior quality of wood furnished during recent years the blame being almost equally signed to laziness on the part of the woodsman and to rapacity on the! part of up-river bandits,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.