Cinnebar button c. 1900
 
  
 
 
   

Cinnebar is the Chinese laquer that gets its red colour from adding mercuric sulphide to the laquer.
Laquer is produced by distilling the sap from the lac tree, found in Southern and Central China.
The process takes up to 500 coats of laquer, each of which has to cure, by drying naturally.
After building up the layers of laquer the carving can begin.

   
 
 
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