The most popular use of gold was in the form of gold leaf applied to Buddha images to promote spiritual well-being.

The characteristic Thai art of overlaying black lacquer with gold leaf to create intricately detailed figures and scenes dates from the 17th and 18th centuries. The technique used by Thai artisans involved several delicate processes and required great skill.

Modern craft workers simulate this style with delicate gold paintwork of animals or dancers on black lacquer bowls and plates.
 

In Thailand, the Indian Buddha image was influenced by Khmer and Burmese art to emerge as a unique style in the Sukhotai period (13th to 15th centuries). Most of the Sukkhotai images are seated and almost always the right hand is in the bhumispara mudra ("Calling the Earth to Witness" gesture).

The Sawankalok pots were early examples of mass production. The items to be fired were stacked in kilns with metal plates separating the various layers. These left gouges in the upper surface of each item. Five of these marks can be clearly seen on most Sawankalok pots.

Today, the Thai ceramics industry produces items which are more similar to the Chinese export ware of the past 100 years.
 

Although contemporary with the Chinese Sung Dynasty, the Koryo potters took their inspiration from the earlier Tang Dynasty Yue wares. These were grey-green vessels (called "celadon" in the West or "Ch’ongja" in Korean) with incised patterns under the glaze. Their ideal was to reproduce the colour of jade.

The most common decoration of Korean pottery is the crane which is a symbol of long life.

In dealing with Korea’s unique arts and crafts, they recognise and differentiate between antique, traditional and contemporary pieces. There are many fine examples of traditional Korean furniture which may not be 100 years old (the standard definition of "antique") because furniture has continued to be made with the traditional Shaman, Taoist and Confucian belief systems associated with it throughout the various dynasties to the 20th century. Any consideration of an authentic Korean piece must include pieces that may be as little as 60 or 70 years old. Sometimes the difference between "old" and "antique" may be as little as a few years.
 

From 1573, a succession o dictators imposed peace on Japan.. They built grand palaces, partly as fortresses and partly as symbols of their power. These palaces were decorated by large screens decorated with gold leaf and colourful paintings..

The inro was originally a box to hold a seal. It was later divided into two compartments to hold ink as well. Around the early 17th century, they were divided again into as many as five or six compartments and were used to contain medicines and ointments. Inro were made in a wide variety of materials, including lacquer, ivory, wood, bone, porcelain and metal.

Although cloisonné is known to have been made in Japan in about 1600, the art was lost by the 19th century. In 1850, Kaji Tsunekichi determined to rediscover the technique by breaking apart and analysing a piece of Chinese cloisonné. He produced his first saleable pieces in 1838.

Partly because the frequency of earthquakes precluded the use heavy construction methods, traditional Japanese buildings, and the furniture in them, are light. The Japanese sat and slept on the floor and, so, had no chairs or beds in the Western style.

They used low tables for writing and most often stored their goods on open shelves or, in the case of kimonos, towels and swords, on racks. Unlike the Chinese who always made symmetrical shelves and placed furniture in pairs, Japanese shelves are usually asymmetric and items are admired for their uniqueness.

The one common piece of Japanese furniture is the tansu - a cabinet for designed for a man’s wardrobe. It usually includes a large space for robes, four large drawers for other items of clothing, such as sashes, and small drawers for accessories like inro (pouches) and netsuke.

The same style of furniture and furnishing was used at all levels of Japanese society; the difference being in the quality of materials (timber of lacquer) used and the workmanship.

During the Yayoi period, from the third century BC to the third century AD, Japanese potters were using the potter’s wheel to produce a range of objects, including vases and bottles. Many of these objects display horizontal zoning or geometric patters but they were not yet glazed.

During the Chinese Tang dynasty (from 618 to 906 AD), Japan maintained friendly relations with China whose achievements Japan much admired. As a result, Japan attempted to emulate China in many ways. One of these was the adoption of Buddhism; another was the creation of a national capital at Nara modelled on the Chinese capital of Xian; and another was importation and copying of Chinese artefacts.

Early Period (to 897 AD)

Fujiwara Period ((897 - 1195 AD)

The item is cast in an alloy containing mostly zinc. The pattern is then chiselled out and inlaid with silver. The item is then covered with mud containing chemicals, particularly ammonia, which darken the base alloy but leaves the silver shining.

Basically, lacquerwork is produced by applying very many coats of lacquer over a mould until the required form is created. It lends itself to a wide variety of decorative techniques.

Two uniquely Chinese techniques are coromandel and cinnabar.

Since the Sung Dynasty ((980 to 1279) landscape painting has been predominant.

From the 10th century, China traded through the port of Ch’uan-chou with Arabs who brought ivory from Africa  A substantial trade built up, particularly during the later years of the Ming Dynasty. Numerous ivory carvings have been attributed to this period, especially the long, gracefully carved ivory figures which retain the natural lines of the tusk..

To add to the confusion, the Chinese word for jade actually refers to any stone worthy of carving - not necessarily either neophyte or jadeite.

True jade is a very hard stone. Only diamonds, rubies and quartz will scratch it. In ancient times, craftsmen could spend a lifetime carving just one piece.

The general characteristics of Ming porcelain are a fine-grained body, white colour tinted beige on the unglazed footring. Glazes are usually fairly thick and somewhat hazy with bubbles. They are often slightly uneven and have a bluish tinge. "Pinholes" in the glaze surface are common. Most Ming wares lack the precise finish of later periods.