On Platina.: France, 1818

By early 1819, Dr. Wollaston heard about Paris-made Platinum retorts but appears confused about the capacity, not weight or the price.

A 900 Ozt Still was 28 Kgs. At that point in time, perhaps for 20 years after, there is no record of a Platinum Still that size in Paris or London.

A "30 Gallon" still was 144.5 Litres (old Gallons) or 136.4 Litres (30 Imperial Gallons) and by contemporary Paris manufacture should have weighed ~ 13 - 14 Kgs (420 - 445 Ozt.)

March 1817: Cuoq's 15.5 Kg Platinum Still of 162 Litres/~43 gallons, presumably offered for "Fr. 18./Once."

1819: ~"20 Kg." Platinum Still of 200 Litres/~53 gallons, presumably offered for

1818: 15s. ~ Fr. 18.30 = Fr. 18./Once.

1818: 1 Troy Oz. Platinum (Paris: Bréant's Mfg, Bulk) = Fr 18.30 (USD$ 3.40)

See Usselman, PMR 1978, 22; 3 pp.100-106

Feb., 1819. I understand from Mr. Tennant that [platinum] retorts have been made in Paris
of about 30 gallon capacity and weighing about 900 ounces at 15 shillings per ounce (8).

1817?: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Paris: Bréant? Semi-Mfg?) = Fr 18.30

Citation: Handbuch der populären Chemie; Ferdinand Wurzer (1818) p.112

1818: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Paris: Jannetty, Semi-Mfg?) = Fr 18.30 (USD$ 3.40)

Citation: Johann C. Leuchs, Allgemeines Waaren-Lexicon; oder vollständige Waarenkunde: ..., Vol. 2 (1826) p.113

Perhaps dated reference.

Citation: Kunst- und Gewerbeblatt des Polytechnischen Vereins ..., Vol. 5 ;Polytechnischer Verein für das Königreich Bayern (May 1819)

1817: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Paris: Bréant's Semi-Mfg, Bulk) = Fr 15.25

1819?: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Paris: Bréant's Mfg, Bulk) = Fr 18.30

Citation: Dictionnaire de l'artillerie; H. Cotty (1822) p.337

Then Colonel (Gaspard-Hermann) Cotty (1822), later Baron General

1818: Suspect republication (c. 1812?) or Retail rate

Specifically referencing "chemical apparatus and skilled artisan products" :

Now an Once of worked Platinum costs only Fr. 24 and in London, it costs for worse, less.

1818?: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Paris: Jeanetty's Mfg, Retail) = Fr 24.40 (USD$ 4.54)

Citation: Handwörterbuch der allgemeinen Chemie: M - R Johann Friedrich John (1818) p.228

Where the Poid de Marc (16 Onces) =15.7378 - 15.7425 English Troy Ounces (15.74 Ozt)

and the Spanish Libra 2 Marc = 14.8208 English Troy Ounces

1 P.d.M. (@ Fr 4./Once) = Fr 64. ; (@ Fr 5./Once) = Fr. 80.

1 Livre P.d.M. (@ Fr 4./Once) = Fr 128. ; (@ Fr 5./Once) = Fr. 160.

1 Spanish Libra, @ Fr 4./Once = Fr 60.20, @ Fr 5./Once = Fr. 75.25

1 Pound Avoirdupois, @ Fr 4./Once = Fr 59.31, @ Fr 5./Once = Fr. 74.13

1 Kilogram @ Fr 4./Once = Fr 130.75, @ Fr 5./Once = Fr 163.43

In S$ @ Fr 4./Once, 1 Libra = S$ 12., 1 Troy Pound = S$11.86, 1 kg = S$ 26.15

In S$ @ Fr 5./Once, 1 Libra = S$ 15., 1 Troy Pound = S$14.83, 1 kg = S$ 32.69

c.1814/7?: 1 Ozt. platina (Paris: whols.?) = Fr 4.06 - 5.08 (USD$ 0.76 -0.93)

1817: 1 Ozt. platina (USA: Vaughan of Phila.) = Fr 2.21 ($ 0.4114; £ 0.1082)

Citation: Nouveau dictionnaire d'histoire naturelle, appliquée aux arts..., Vol. 26; Jacques Eustache de Sève (1818) p.583

Citation: Minéralogie appliquée aux arts: ou, Histoire des minéraux qui sont ..., Vol. 1 ; Cyprien Prosper Brard (1821) p.633

1819:

Although Wollaston could not obtain platinum, his competitors in the platinum vessel business, the French, had ample supplies, for about 1819, Jean Bréant, assayer of the Paris mint, was given permission by the Spanish Government to process the nearly 30,000 ounces of crude platinum held by Spain since late in the eighteenth century (7).

In Germany, the platina price had started rising by late 1818; Paris Platinum had likewise advanced ~25% from the low (c.1814-1816.)

By 1815-19, there was some (limited?) Platinum refining in both Berlin and Wien.

1816: 1 Ozt. Platinum (refined) = Fr 14.22 (USD$ 3.07)

1817: 1 Ozt. Platinum (refined) ~ Fr 15.24 (USD$ 2.84)

1818: 1 Troy Ounce Platinum (Paris: Mfg) = Fr 18.29 (USD$ 3.42)

March, 1819:
"However, since the current stock of the metal has been reduced by ever increasing use, so the price of the crude metal starts to rise."

1818/9:
Citation: Bayerisches Industrie- und Gewerbeblatt; Polytechnischer Verein in München (1819) p.264

c.1818, possibly dated (refined) Platinum Price

Citation: Handbuch der populären Chemie: zum gebrauch bei vorlesungen... ; Ferdinand Wurzer (1820) p.112

A discussion of Platinum presented at the 1819 Exposition, where ore price seems dated and exceeding low.

Recognition for Bréant's extraordinarily efficient Platinum Still (March, 1818):

1818/24?: vague price, intermediate to Au/Ag

"Whether it is rarely the same as the yellow gold, it is still a little lower in price, but it is dearer than silver."

Possibly dated materials (circa 1818)!

In a Supplement, presumably au courant: these are low prices (wholesale.) Here, the Platinum Price is nearly double that of Silver: almost certainly a LOW for the refined metal.

In 1831, France imported about 3,215 Troy Ounces and exported about 1,900 Troy Ounces, equivalent to about three (3) sulphuric acid boilers.

Of Platinum basins, total estimated weight 3 Ozt
"2 Onces" = 60 cc. (Est. 2.11 Imperial Ounces) is ~1.1 Ozt/ 34.2 g. Platinumware
"4 Onces" = 120 cc. (Est. 4.22 Imperial Ounces) is ~1.9 Ozt or 59.29 g. Platinumware

c.1831?: 1 Ozt Platinum (Manufactured) = Fr 36 (USD$ )

c.1831: 1 Ozt. Platinum (manufactured) = Fr 17.72 (USD$ 3.39)

c.1831: 1 Ozt. Platinum (refined, unmfg) = Fr 18.32 (USD$ 3.50)
c.1831: 1 Ozt. Silver (refined, unmfg) = Fr 7.26 (USD$ 1.41)

c.1831: 1 Ozt. Platinum (refined) = Fr 15.- 18. (USD$ 2.88 - 3.45)

Citation: Supplément au dictionnaire de l'artillerie, Hermann Cotty (1832), p.335-6