France, 1819: Platinum Vase & Manufactured Price; Platina

A 6-piece "service de déjeuner" for not more than 1,000 écus (~ Fr. 6,000.) ~$1,110.83 with the following items of unknown weights (totaling ~ 66.5 Ozt, or ~2 Kgs) included:

1819: 1 Troy Ounce Platinumware (Mfg, Luxe, Retail) ~ Fr. 90.

Écuelle en platine et couvert = Platinum tureen, with cover
théière en platine = Platinum tea-pot
cafétière en platine = Platinum coffee-pot
sucrier en platine = Platinum sugar bowl
pot au lait en platine = Platinum milk creamer
couteau de dessert = Platinum dessert knife

31 August 1819:

Citation: Le Constitutionnel: journal du commerce, politique et littéraire (1/9/1819)





The government of Colombian attempted to re-monopolize platinum production in that country, creating supply problems in Europe and a resulting price hike in refined manufactures (c.1820) These factors likely forced Wollaston out of the business.   

This disruption & speculation ended the discovery period where celebrated artists & philosophers worked Platinum in an age of discovery.  Successive eras would pursue more commercial applications for the PGM.

There was no mention of the recent Platinum discovery in Russian Urals.


c.1818: 1 Troy Ounce Platinum (Paris, mfg.) = Fr 18.29  (USD$ 3.32)

1819: 1 Troy Oz. platina (ore, Paris) = Fr 5.08 - 6.10  (USD$ 0.93 - 1.11)

1819: 1 Troy Oz. platina (ore, London) = £ 0.19 - 0.21  (USD$ 0.84 - 0.95)

1819:  1 Troy Oz. Gold (Paris: mkt) = Fr. 106.8218 
1819:  1 Troy Oz. Silver (Paris: mkt) = Fr. 6.7821

1819: 1 Troy Oz. platina (ore, London & Paris equiv.) = Fl 1.85  (USD$ 0.884)
1819: 1 Troy Oz. platina (ore, Wien) = Fl 2.04  (USD$ 0.98)

Note the Wien Price (Russian Source?)  Demand for platina & Platinum spread across Europe, at the relatively low price 1812-1818. 


Citation: Darstellung des Fabriks- und Gewerbswesens im österreichischen Kaiserstaate ...; Stephan von Keess (1824) p. 539

 
c.1823: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (refined) = Fr 24.38  (USD$ 4.71)

It appears the REFINING COST fell -50%, and/or the ore price had suddenly collapsed after 1811/2.  The Paris Platinum Market Price fell through 1816, disrupting the commodity chain and confusing global consumers & importers for several years.  Prices began to rise in 1818/9.


Dubious (historical) Paris Price, suspect typographical error:  
1819??: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (mfg.)  = Fr 73.96 (USD$ 15.46)

October, 1819: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Semi-Mfg) = Fr 18.54 (USD$ 3.42)

Citation: Morgenblatt für gebildete leser, Vol. 13 (27/10/1819) p.1027

c.1819:

An 1819 Cuocq Platinum still weighing 20 Kgs. (643 Ozt) contained 200 litres, 0.311 Ozt per litre or 3.215 litres per Ozt.

October, 1819: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Semi-Mfg) = Fr 18.54 (USD$ 3.42)
 



Summer 1819: T. Howse, senior, of Cirencester, heard from a chemical friend that some copper articles coated with platinum, in the proportion of fifteen to one, could be purchased for ~37 Shillings/(lb avd.) from M. Laboute, 4 Rue St. Eustache, Montmartre, Paris.

In the Second Decade of the 19th C., the Paris Platinum Price was fairly stable relative to a US Dollar-adjusted exchange. 


c.1819 : 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (in 1:15 mfg copper alloy, Paris) ~  £ 2.03

1813 - 20 : 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (mkt) = Fr. 15.24 - 18.54  (USD$ 2.69 - 3.42)

c.1819-1825 : Lightning Rod Tips, Fr 30.

Mr. Pixis, nephew and successor of the Instrument Maker Dumotiez in Paris, (Rue du Jardinet, No. 2) whose careful and cheap work may I recommend the Friends of Physical Science, has always in store in his warehouse: collecting tips for storm surge arresters, from varnished copper, platinum itself endings and screwed on a rod of iron, the top to the bottom of collecting rods is soldered. He sold francs Fr. 30 the piece; just as "corde de fer peinte a l'huile pour conducteur the paratonneres", the toise to Fr. 4 to 5. Gilb.

There is no mention of the major Russian find of 1817 in this detailed summary of platina & platinum production in France, circa 1819.  

Apparently, the 1817 discovery of platina in the Urals was not reported or in doubt as late as 1824. The Western market for platina was not yet effected by that future supply.  It is likely the Russian output had no impact on platina/platinum prices (wholesale or retail) until 1825.

F. Montrelay & Co. manufactured Platinum medico-scientific instruments (particularly surgical) 1819-39?