This study addresses the lack of unified technical specifications and evaluation standards for museum-quality imitations of lacquered furniture, which has resulted in inconsistencies in appearance and material performance. To improve visual presentation and support cultural interpretation, four commonly used lacquer techniques were examined: black lacquer, vermilion lacquer, golden lacquer, and hardwood rubbed lacquer. Five sets of comparative experiments were conducted across traditional techniques, modified traditional methods, and modern alternatives, producing 95 samples. The samples were tested for gloss, surface roughness, color difference (ΔE), film adhesion, and thermal cycling performance. A comprehensive evaluation framework was developed covering process stability, visual characteristics, and physicochemical properties. Traditional techniques showed the highest stability and color fidelity, followed by modified traditional methods. Cashew lacquer exhibited low stability and limited depth. Industrial lacquer maintained stable gloss and ΔE but produced overly bright colors. In physicochemical properties, traditional lacquer achieved the best adhesion, while water-based industrial lacquer performed the worst. All samples met acceptable thermal cycling performance. Based on the integrated results, grading criteria and parameter thresholds were established, providing a practical reference for museum applications and a systematic evaluation method for related research.
Li et al. (2026) studied this question.