Lacquerware

Lacquerware are products that have been treat with a special technique that has a practical purpose. The technique is a surface application, requiring as basic material lac resin, and a few decorative materials like red pigment, colours, mother of pearl, gold or silver foil leaves. Articles made from either wood, bamboo or any organic materials that have been treated with this technique before use will not only be well protected from water, dampness, heat and chemicals but will also look better.

The oldest lacquerware article found in Thailand is a water jug stopper which dates from about the seventeenth century BE and each now kept at the National Museum of Lampoon Province. Popular types of lacquerware that have been produced in Chiang Mai include household items such as water bowls, tobacco boxes, betel nut sets, clothes boxes and pedestal trays.

Lacquerware has been developed considerably since the Ayudhya and Ratanakosin Periods and there are now seven types divided according to the main technique used as follows :

Ancient method : This method originally involved only the application of pigment to the article. Later, further decoration was developed : lac and charcoal power were mixed in to rak kranae, a clay-like substance. This mixture was then made into long threads which were shaped into any chosen design on the lac-coated article. The final step was the application of gold foil or some small glass pieces onto the design.

Engraving Method : Sometimes called Chiangtung Method, this technique was began in the north of Thailand by the Thai Khern minority group. Originally only household article were made this way. Then technique was developed to include colors and varieties, souvenirs are made this way to meet customers' demand.

Pearl-inlaid Method : In the old days this technique was used only with household articles belonging to the king and high-class people because not only was it costly but it also required a lot of skill and patience. Now with the new technologies which help simplify the process, the technique is more widely used with many other articles for decoration and everyday life.

Gold Application Method : This comprises two different techniques : one method is the draw a design on the lac-coated article first ; then the lac under the drawing must be removed and replaced with gold from gold leaf ; then, water is poured on the article to remove the excess.