plate and papier-mâché articles and the japanning process all took place under one roof, while small workshops tended to carry out only one or two of the trades, usually tin-plate working and japanning. At the height of its popularity, richly decorated japanned ware was to be seen in every middle-class home, but from the mid-19th century, this began to change. By the 1880s, the japanning and tin-plate industries were in decline. This was due partly to changes in fashion and taste and partly due to the development of electroplating. In response, makers of japanned ware began to focus on more utilitarian items, including japanned cash boxes. Many turned to other trades, including enamelling, electroplating and the manufacture of copper and brass coal scuttles, fire screens and kettles. By the 1920s, the West Midlands' decorative japanned ware industry had largely died out. Many firms began to supply japanned metal to the newly established bicycle and motor vehicle industries, and some even made their own bicycles. The most successful of these was John Marston, whose japanning factory began making bicycles in 1887. The bicycle manufacturing part of the business quickly became more successful than the production of decorative japanned ware. Marston's wife thought the gilt on the black japanned bicycles looked like sunbeams and the bicycles were branded Sunbeam and their factory was named Sunbeamland. Japanned metal Ironware was japanned black, for decorative reasons. It was also used to render it rustproof, suitable for carrying water. A significant industry developed at Pontypool and Usk in South Wales, UK, shortly before tinplate began to be made in the area. Japanned ware was being also made at Bilston in Wolverhampton, England by 1719 and later elsewhere in the area. Applications The technique was also developed to protect metal objects such as sewing machines, hand planes, builders' hardware, and in North America, watthour meters made before the mid-1930s. Later, it was used as an insulating film on transformer laminations. It was also used as the substrate for the tintype photographic process. See also Japan black Vernis Martin Raden Decoupage References Further reading External links Japanning at the Wolverhampton History and Heritage Website Artworks in metal Decorative arts European art Japan in non-Japanese culture Lacquerware Paper art Resins Wood finishing techniques