Author: GAY-LUSSAC, J.L.- SILVER.- Essaying.-
Title: Instruction sur l'essai des matières d'argent par la voie humide.
Description: Paris, Imprimerie Royale, 1832. 4to. 6 engr. fold. pls. of apparatus bound in at the end ['Grave par LeBlanc']. Original blue grey paper covers, top and bottom of spine and lower outer hinge restored w. identical blue paper. [n2, 1 in 4s, 2 - 11 in 4s]. (II (blank), 1 - 88 pp.). (Large paper copy, blank righthand margin 6 cm!!!.). (Uncut.). DSB V, 325/6:'...made a major contribution to chemical analysis in 1832 when he introduced a volumetric method of estimating silver, (by a standard solution of common salt), which he justly claimed was more accurate than the centuries old method of cupellation.': Poggendorff I, pp. 860-864: Partington IV pp. 77-90: Cajori pp. 207-208: Darmstaedter p. 386: Gay Lussac was appointed assayer to the mint in 1829. He worked out a method of essaying silver by a standard solution of common salt, which replaced the methods of cupellation used hitherto and was adopted in all European mints.

Keywords: money chemistry