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Home » Arts and Culture » Crafts » Japanning

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  • Thomas Martyn describes the town of Pontypool and his visit to a japanned ware factory. He gives the following description of the manufacturing process: 'We entered one of the Manufactories of the Japaned ware that bears the name of Pontipool, but it did not answer our expectation; The first coating of Japan is put on the Tin or Copper Vessel, which is then placed in an Oven, and at a fixed period taken out and polished, the ornaments are neatly drawn with a hair pencil and a particular size which when a little dried is covered with leaf silver, It is then again varnished which changes the Silver to the colour of Gold, for they use not Gold leaf in any of their works, the process is very simple but tedious and we did not consider ourselves compensated for our Journey, except the opportunity it afforded us of seeing more of the Country.'
A Tour to South Wales, 1801, page 64
Extracts from scrap book of William Henry Greene: the 'Old Japan House', Pontypool, drawn 1871 [image 2 of 12]
Extracts from scrap book of William Henry Greene: house in Pontypool where Japanning was done, 1871 [image 3 of 12]
Extracts from scrap book of William Henry Greene, 1893: oven in which Japan ware was baked [image 4 of 12]
  • Long deep tin tray on decorated legs. Original japaned black lacquer with gold painted decoration. Used for warming plates in front of the fire. It was possibly purchased from Newell's Ironmongers, Presteigne.
Pontypool tinware: plate warmer, 19th century