Citation: The life and remains of Edward Daniel Clarke: professor of mineralogy in the ...William Otter (1827) p.496
Platinum refining Cost, 1800-1819:
Citation: "William Wollaston, John Johnson and Colombian alluvial platina: A study in restricted industrial enterprise" Melvyn C. Usselman, Annals of Science, Vol. 37, Issue 3, 1980 pp 253-268
"The processing began and continued over the years in 16 to 30 ounce batches, and Wollaston early calculated the average cost of processing as 2s. per ounce. This, coupled with the 3s. per ounce paid out for platinum, made Wollaston’s expenses 5s. per ounce."
Dr. Wollaston's last purchase of 600 ozt @ £ 87. from from John Hodgson of Bucklersbury in April 1819 was likely sent from Jamaica or South America in late 1818.
1819: 1 Troy Oz. platina (Hodgson, whols.) = £ 0.1450 (Fr 3.473; S$ 0.622)
December, 1819: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Wire) = £ 0.875 ()
30 Imperial Gallons = ~136 liters. Where the January 1818 forex was Fr 23.80, the Platinum still was sold at a rate of Fr. 17.5/once. Where the March 1819 forex was Fr 25.1265, the Platinum still was sold at a rate of Fr. 18.85/once in Gold.
January, 1819: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Mfg: Still) = £ 0.75 (~Fr 18.)
Feb., 1819. I understand from Mr. {Charles} Tennant that {platinum} retorts have been made in Paris of about 30 gallon capacity and weighing about 900 ounces at 15 shillings per ounce.
Quoting 1805 prices 15 years later is peculiar, but retail Platinum had been high and Thomas Gill wrote (c. 1822) in anticipation of the end of the platina shortage (and presumed price decrease.)
As Usselman (1978) notes (1), Wollaston could not longer procure platina economically by 1820. A Platinum refiner himself, he had no business importing semirefined ingot from the better organized & technologically proficient Cuoq & Cie., whose production of cheaper stills & alembics was probably decisive to his retirement.
Compared to Wollaston's domestic price, the merchant Wm. Cary began importing platinum from a better source and reliable supplier, one associated with the French Mint. The professionalization of industry was a matter fact at that point; from that moment on Platinum was no longer produced by artists or scientist-philosophers.
1820: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (imported refined, whols.) = £ 0.80 (USD$ 3.62)
1820/1: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (semi-mfg, wire, retail) = £ 0.88 (USD$ 4.22)
"Once platinum was no longer available from Wollaston, it would have been necessary for
Troughton to seek further supplies from abroad, perhaps from France. A note recorded by Wollaston in 1820 shows that Cary acquired some platinum ingots from the firm Cuoq, Couturier et Cie., in Paris; the price charged was equivalent to 16s. 1d. an ounce, of which 1s. 10d. covered freight charges (38).
"Platinum and Palladium in Astronomy and Navigation: THE PIONEER WORK OF EDWARD TROUGHTON AND WILLIAM HYDE WOLLASTON" By John A. Chaldecott in PLATINUM METALS REVIEW, Vol. 31, April 1987, No.2, p.46
Troughton to seek further supplies from abroad, perhaps from France. A note recorded by Wollaston in 1820 shows that Cary acquired some platinum ingots from the firm Cuoq, Couturier et Cie., in Paris; the price charged was equivalent to 16s. 1d. an ounce, of which 1s. 10d. covered freight charges (38).
"Platinum and Palladium in Astronomy and Navigation: THE PIONEER WORK OF EDWARD TROUGHTON AND WILLIAM HYDE WOLLASTON" By John A. Chaldecott in PLATINUM METALS REVIEW, Vol. 31, April 1987, No.2, p.46
Platinum Pioneer and Discoverer of Palladium & Rhodium, William Hyde Wollaston (1766 -1828)
(1) Platinum Metals Rev., 1978, 22, (3) p.102
In 1819, Platinum was still sold by Cary at the same rate as 1805. A contemporary German periodical referenced Cary as an economical vendor of Platinum wire at his old address. (There was a fire at 162 Strand on January 20, 1820; for a short time, Cary was located at 277 , Strand.) Platinum wire was presumably more expensive in Germany, or the "news" (price) was already several years too late.
"Platin Saiten sind aber jetzt noch zu haben bey Mr. Cary, Nr. 162 Strand, die Unze zu 17 Lst. 6. d. oder ungefähr 6 Thlr." (Platinum Strings can now be purchased from Mr. Cary, No. 162 Strand, for 17s. 6 d. or about 6 Thaler per ounce.)
Citation: Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung, Vol. 23 (1821) p.847
Cary's address had moved by 1820:
c.1820-1824:
However outdated, German sources continued referencing this "6 Rthlr. rate" for some time.
(1) Platinum Metals Rev., 1978, 22, (3) p.102
In 1819, Platinum was still sold by Cary at the same rate as 1805. A contemporary German periodical referenced Cary as an economical vendor of Platinum wire at his old address. (There was a fire at 162 Strand on January 20, 1820; for a short time, Cary was located at 277 , Strand.) Platinum wire was presumably more expensive in Germany, or the "news" (price) was already several years too late.
"Platin Saiten sind aber jetzt noch zu haben bey Mr. Cary, Nr. 162 Strand, die Unze zu 17 Lst. 6. d. oder ungefähr 6 Thlr." (Platinum Strings can now be purchased from Mr. Cary, No. 162 Strand, for 17s. 6 d. or about 6 Thaler per ounce.)
Citation: Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung, Vol. 23 (1821) p.847
Cary's address had moved by 1820:
c.1820-1824:
However outdated, German sources continued referencing this "6 Rthlr. rate" for some time.
31 July 1819
10 Guineas should have 1,187 Grains Fine Gold: at 1,120 Grains, the deficit was £ 0.5651.
72.575 Grams of Fine Gold + 367.021 Grams Palladium = 439.60 Auro-Palladium (.165 Au/ .835 Pd), but Wollaston charged £ 37. for 318.03 Grams so:
1819: 1 Troy Oz. Auro-Palladium (.165 Au/.835 'Pd') = £ 3.6186 (S$ 15.45)
1819: 1 Troy Oz. Palladium (Wollaston's 'Pd') = £ 3.4551 (S$ 14.76)
1819: 1 Troy Oz. Palladium (.999 Pd) = £ 3.8691 (S$ 16.52)
c.1819: Chlorplatinates were used in the treatment of syphilis. The preparation was 1 Ounce platina, 1 Fluid Ounce Nitric Acid, 3 Fluid Ounces Muriatic Acid, x5
Nitro-Muriate of Platinum = Hydrochlorate of platinum = Platinum Chloride ? (PtCl4)
Assuming the Pt 58% and the Chlorine 42% in 60-80 Grains of Salt, but the platina only 70% pure, the
c. 1819: 1 Fluid Oz. Platinum Chloride in Solution (PtCl4, Ret.) = £0.10
c. 1814-1819: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum Chloride Salt (PtCl4, Ret.) = £0.60 - 0.80
c. 1814-1819: 1 Troy Oz. Pt (In Preparation) = £ 1.48 - 1.97
Nitro-Muriate of Platinum = Hydrochlorate of platinum = Platinum Chloride ? (PtCl4)
Assuming the Pt 58% and the Chlorine 42% in 60-80 Grains of Salt, but the platina only 70% pure, the
c. 1819: 1 Fluid Oz. Platinum Chloride in Solution (PtCl4, Ret.) = £0.10
c. 1814-1819: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum Chloride Salt (PtCl4, Ret.) = £0.60 - 0.80
c. 1814-1819: 1 Troy Oz. Pt (In Preparation) = £ 1.48 - 1.97
Citation: The American amateur photographer, Volume 5 (1893), p.55
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