Pontypool japan

In the late 17th century, during his search for a corrosion-resistant coating for iron, he developed a recipe that included asphaltum, linseed oil and burnt umber.

Pontypool is in a steep valley in South Wales, surrounded by coal and iron working.

[1] This did not provide the best surface for japanning, thus it has a greater tendency to flake off than the smoother English tinware.

Coffee pots, tea sets, candle sticks and other household items could all be japanned and decorated in the popular fashion.

In his book on Pontypool japan (W. D. John, 1953),[2] published one of the recipes the workmen had handed down through generations: The linseed oil was heated together with the umber and the asphaltum while the litharge and cobalt were added slowly.

[3] This recipe is similar to one for gold size published by both (Robert Dossie, 1764) [4] and (Stalker and Parker, 1688).

[5] In that version, linseed oil is boiled together with gum animi, asphaltum, litharge and umber in approximately the same proportions as the Pontypool recipe.