True lacquer, as manufactured in China, Japan and Korea, is made from the latex of the lacquer tree <i>Rhus vernicifera. It sets by a process of polymerisation into a hard material of great strength, suitable for the manufacture of vessels and other objects. Its use in China goes back to very early times. An examination of the technical properties of the lacquer itself and the various other materials used in the construction and decoration of lacquer objects, such as wood, fabric and mother-of-pearl, may throw light on the age and country of origin of the pieces. The method of construction of lacquer pieces is discussed, in which one layer after another is applied, and the pigments used to colour the lacquer are mentioned, with special reference to carved red lacquer of the Ming dynasty (1368-1643 A.D.). Chemical analyses of the red, black and yellow layers of lacquer -the main colours in early Ming lacquer -are given. The red lacquer is coloured by pure vermilion, the black by carbon and the yellow by orpiment. Photomicrographs of the layers of lacquer, of which one hundred or more are used in carved lacquer, were also taken. They show that the pigments in individual layers tend to be concentrated in the middle of the layers, leaving the edges comparatively clear. This property, which also occurs in some paints, is responsible for the clear separation of the layers, which is often visible to the naked eye, particularly on a sloping surface. Finally some analyses of the fabrics used in Ming lacquers show that the fibre ramie is used. This result is surprising, because the materials always referred to in the Chinese and Japanese literature is hemp. In the single Korean piece tested the fabric is linen. These results are preliminary and it is hoped that further technical studies will be made on objects in museums and private collections. The information should eventually be of great use in determining the age and place of origin of lacquer pieces.