UK, 1822-1825: Wollaston's Rhodium

Kronberg, Coatsworth & Usselman (1981)* review the sales of Rhodium from Wollaston's Notebooks:

1822-5: 1 Troy Oz. Rhodium (intrinsic, producer)  = £ 15.00 (USD$ 72.-75)

*Ambix, Vol. 28, Pt 1, March 1981 pp.20-35 "The Artifact as Historical Document Part 2: The Palladium and Rhodium of W. H. Wollaston

1828: Doughty's Pens may have employed whatever Rhodium remained, after Wollaston's death.  The earliest notice appears in November 1825.




 



The c. 1825 price for Doughty Pens was £ 0.75, but declined -33% in the 1830s. 






1841: 
 

Richard & George Knight, c. 1817:

1825: Chlorplatinates were used in the treatment of syphilis.

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Russia, 1868: First Chemically Pure Rhodium

As described by Bunsen, in a serious laboratory accident (1868):

1866:  Johnson & Matthey ingot, prepared by the Deville-Debray Method (1859?)

Global, 1823: Rhodium Price

In describing the the incidence & difficulty treating Rhodium-Gold, M. Del Rio in Mexico cryptically rebuked another unnamed European scientist & refiner of Rhodium. Apparently, some secretive monopolist had refused to assist a fellow scientist with information to efficiently cupel Rhodium from Gold: a professional discourtesy and minor scandal. 
 
Dr. Henry Hyde Wollaston seems the most likely target for this tacit accusation. He had discovered the metal (1805); in this period, there's no record of any other scientist working with so much platina residue for Rhodium production. In earlier incidents, Wollaston had been accused of secrecy and opportunism by other chemists; he also only published his platinum refining method (which had been ascertained by others) on his deathbed in 1828.

In the same letter of rebuke, Del Rio contradicts Wollaston by name; furthermore, a couple of years earlier the English chemist had mutually unsatisfactory dealings with Arago (the Paris publisher for this rebuke) over pricing another PGM product, Auropalladium. In one of his Notebooks, Wollaston mentioned the Frenchman did not pay nor thank him!

Since an English chemist (rather than Breant or any other European Gold assayist) was the purported offender, little wonder the Mexican's professional scorn came to print in a most highly regarded Paris journal. The French and the English: going at it once again.

Reviewing the Rhodium Notebook, Kronberg, Coatsworth & Usselman (1981)* calculated Wollaston had refined 129.5 Troy Ounces in 1819, the largest quantity then known. Presuming Wollaston accurately informed the French and/or Del Rio (for how else would they know the value of his Rhodium) this weight permits an approximate valuation and calculation for a Producer's Cost. Where 1,800 piastres ~ Fr 9,063. - 9,594, and 1 peso = 4s 6d:

1823: 1 Troy Ounce Rhodium (Producer's Cost) = £ 3.13
.... Peso/USD$ 13.90; Fr 70.-74.

It is also highly relevant to note that in 1822-25 Wollaston was just beginning to successfully merchandize his own Rhodium Alloy in a manufactured state, as nibs for "Rhodium Pens." Any other large scale Rhodium production would potentially have jeopardized his own revenue and enterprise. It is also reported he had not been successful selling his Palladium, although other scientists mention a persistent high price for Pd.

1822 - 1825: 1 Troy Oz. Rhodium (Retail) = £ 15.00 (USD$ 72. - 75.)

Wollaston merchandized his Rhodium at ~ 5x higher than his cost.  Rhodium tips were 4:1 Rhodium/Tin, 2 per nib (£ 0.050) @ 0.46 Grain per tip; the pens sold 'trade' for £ 0.20. 

The initial retail price was likely £ 1. in 1822, falling to £ 0.75 in 1828, then £ 0.50 by the mid-1830s.

See B. I. Kronberg; L. L. Coatsworth; M. C. Usselman: "The Artifact as Historical Document Part 2: The Palladium and Rhodium of W. H. Wollaston." Ambix, 28(1), pp. 20–35 

1825: 1 Troy Ounce Rhodium Tin Alloy (Trade: .80 Rh) = £ 12.
1825: 1 Troy Oz. Rhodium (Trade: .999 Rh) = £ 15.
1825: 1 Troy Oz. Rhodium (Trade: Mfg: .80 Rh) = £ 26.09
1825: 1 Troy Oz. Rhodium (Trade: Mfg: .999 Rh) = £ 32.69

The 1827 German report of the December 1824 Mexican notice indicates that Dr. Wollaston's alloy was only 20-25% Rh (80-75% Au) not pure.

Citation: Annalen der Physik und Chemie, Vol. 10 (1827) p.322



Rhodium-Gold (Au 57% - Au 66%) from Mexico, analyzed c. 1823:




The French published rhodium refining techniques in 1822.

UK, 1833: Hawkins Pens, w/ Iridosmine Nibs

The Kepp platinum still held 136.383 liters; at the 1833 £/$ Exchange, the Kepp boiler and syphon totaled £ 598.50 (USD$ 2,476.55 - 2,514.30) presumably troy weight (495 ozt) and excluding any additional tariff, shipping & handling cost to New York.  

May 1833: 1 Ozt Platinum (Mfg, Large Bulk, Trade) = £ 1.20 (USD$ 4.96 - 5.04)
May 1833: 1 Ozt Platinum (Mfg, Med. Bulk, Trade) = £ 1.30 (USD$ 5.38 - 5.46)
May 1833: 1 Ozt Platinum (Mfg, 1 Ozt. Hypothetical Ret.) = £ 1.50 (USD$ 6.20 - 6.30)

May, 1833:

  Citation: The American journal of science, Vol. 26 No.1 (1834) p.211

Compare the 1835 Davy Catalogue prices for PGMs. Somewhat lower prices here imply this catalogue appeared earlier, before surging artisanal/industrial demand.

Iridosmine was more expensive in the 1835 Catalogue, perhaps due the increasing demand for pen tips? Palladium was also marginally more expensive (suggests several years difference.)  Davy's Catalogue offered Reichenbach's Creosote (discovered in 1830, reported in 1831/2 and probably merchandized by 1833) 

Manufactured Platinum crucibles probably cost ~4.4x more than the same in Silver. 

c.1833: 1 Troy Ounce Platinum (London: Ore, Retail)  = £ 0.90 (USD$ 3.72)
1833?: 1 Ozt. platina (@.999 intrinsic) ~ £ 1.08 (USD$ 4.47)
c.1833: 1 Ozt. Platinum (UK: Semi-Mfg, Ret.)  = £ 1.40 (USD$ 5.79)
c.1833: 1 Ozt. Platinum (UK: Mfg, Ret.)  = £ 1.50 (USD$ 6.20)
c.1833: 1 Ozt. Platinum (UK: Fine Wire, Ret.)  = £ 1.60 (USD$ 6.62) 

c.1833: 1 Troy Oz. Palladium (UK, refined)  = £ 2.40 (USD$ 9.93)
c.1833: 1 Troy Oz. Rhodium (UK, refined)  = £ 4.80 (USD$ 19.86)
c.1833: 1 Troy Oz. Osmium (UK, refined)  = £ 48. (USD$ 198.62)
1833?: 1 Troy Oz. Iridosmine (UK, ore) = £ 2.40 (USD$ 9.93)

1833: 1 Troy Oz. Silver (Intrinsic .999) ~£ 0.3874 (USD$ 1.60)

Citation: Chemical apparatus, tests, and preparations, employed in philosophical and medical chemistry, mineralogy, &c. Manufactured with every care, and sold at moderate prices,  E. Davy, Chemist, 390, Strand, London (1833?)

Citation: Chemical apparatus, tests, and preparations, employed in philosophical and medical chemistry, mineralogy, &c. Manufactured with every care, and sold at moderate prices, E. Davy, Chemist, 390, Strand, London (1833?)

Platinum prices were stable but Vanadium charged at £ 84. ozt in one catalogue and £ 120. in another.  At the higher price, Creosot is priced and Uranium Oxide is slightly more expensive.

Citation: Chemical Apparatus, Tests, and Preparations, Employed in Philosophical and ...

Where £ 1. = руб Banco 24. - 25. 


c.1832/3: Russian Platinum Coin generally known, recently. 














10/1833: 

The UK retail Price of Silverware, including workmanship, was ~43.93% higher than Fine Ag. The UK retail Price of Silver, .999, was ~30.54% higher than Fine Ag. 

10/1833: 1 Troy Ounce Silver (London Silverware .925) = £ 0.2490 

10/1833: 1 Troy Oz. Silver (Intrinsic .999) = £ 0.2691

4/1833: 1 Troy Oz. Silver (London Silverware .925) = £ 0.3583  
4/1833: 1 Troy Oz. Silver (Intrinsic .999) = £ 0.3874



 

USA, 1910

1910: 1 Troy Ounce Platinum (NYC: Avg Ingot) = USD$ 32.70
1910: 1 Troy Ounce Platinum (St.Pb ingot) = USD$ 26.96

1910: Russian Ingot at St. Petersburg and New York, for comparison.



See George F. Kunz' "Platinum" for detailed review of New York Monthly Prices, 1910 - 1921

Citation: The Mineral Industry, Vol. 29 p.547



9/1910: 1 Troy Oz Platinum (NYC: Avg Ingot) = USD$ 33.63

 1910: NY Monthly Mkt Prices for Refined Ingot



 
1910: 1 Troy Oz Palladium (German Mkt) = ℳ 119.75 (USD$ 28.50)
1910: 1 Troy Oz Rhodium (German Mkt) = ℳ 497.66 (USD$ 118.44) 
1910: 1 Troy Oz Iridium (German Mkt) = ℳ 152.41 (USD$ 36.27) 
1910: 1 Troy Oz Osmium (German Mkt) = ℳ 118.19 (USD$ 28.13)
1910: 1 Troy Oz Ruthenium (German Mkt) = ℳ 245.72 (USD$ 58.48)

1910: 1 Troy Ounce Palladium (NYC: Import) = USD$ 32.75
1910: 1 Troy Ounce Rhodium (NYC: Import) = USD$ 60.50
1910: 1 Troy Ounce Iridium (NYC: Import) = USD$ 46.33
1910: 1 Troy Ounce Osmium (NYC: Import) = USD$ 33.70

1910: 1 Troy Ounce Rhodium (NYC: Retail) = USD$ 155.52

Osmium & other PGMs:

As late at 1910, most Platinumware was not pure, and pure Platinum articles were 30% more expensive in the USA.

Germany, 1896: Paul Altmann Catalogue

December 1895: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Mkt) = ℳ 48.37 (USD$ 11.57)
c.April 1896: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Mkt) = ℳ 50.39 (USD$ 12.05)

1896: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Semi-Mfg; Whols.) = ℳ 50.54 (USD$ 12.09)

1896: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Semi-Mfg, Whols/Ret) = ℳ 52.88 (USD$ 12.65)

1896: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Mfg, Trade) = ℳ 56. - 93.31 (USD$ 13.40 - 22.32)

1896: 1 Ozt. Palladium (Mfg, Trade) = ℳ 155.52 (USD$ 37.20)

1896: 1 Ozt. Silver (Semi-Mfg, Trade) = ℳ 10.89 - 12.44 (USD$ 2.61 - 2.98)

c.1896: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Mkt) = ℳ 46.65 - 62.20 (USD$ 11.16 - 14.88)

c.1896: 1 Ozt. Rhodium (Mkt) = ℳ 466.50 (USD$ 111.60) 

c.1896: 1 Ozt. Gold (Mkt) = ℳ 85.53 (USD$ 20.46) 

Citation: Preisliste über chemische Apparate und Geräthschaften ... ; Paul Altmann Firm (1896) pp.

Spoons:



Gauze:



Wire:
1896: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Semi-Mfg: Wire, Trade) = ℳ 55.9863 (USD$ 13.39)





Foil:
1896: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Semi-Mfg: Foil, Trade) = ℳ 52.876 (USD$ 12.65)  
 



Blowpipe tips/jets:

1896: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Pyrometer) = ℳ 140. -186.6 (USD$ 33.49 - 44.65)

Citation: Preis-liste über apparate und utensilien für chemie, electrochemie...;Peters & Rost (1896)







December 1895: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Mkt) = ℳ 48.37
c.April 1896: 1 Ozt. Platinum (Mkt) = ℳ 50.39

At the turn of the year 1895 Platinum cost 1,555 Marks per kilogram. In the spring of 1896 it was already 1,620; by January 1897 it cost 1,660. In the summer of the same year (1897) it was in the 1,700s.  In the Spring of 1898 in the 1,800's, in September 2,000. - and today it costs 2,250 Mark. 

Citation: Die Zukunft. Herausgeber: M. Harden, Vol. 27  Maximilian Felix Ernst HARDEN (1899)

Citation: Zeitschrift fur Naturwissenschaften, Vol. 70 p.441

Citation: Die Metalle: Geschichte, Vorkommen und Gewinnung, nebst ausführlicher ...Bernhard Neumann p.363