WATHERSTON, James H.

The Gold Valuer; being a table for ascertaining the value of gold, as naturally produced or artificially amalgamated: with a familiar explanation of the art of assaying gold and silver ...

London, Smith, Elder & Co., 1852. Small 8vo, pp. xiii, [1] blank, [15]–64, + advertising leaf for Arthur Ryland’s The Assay of Gold and Silver Wares and 16-page publisher’s catalogue; a good copy, uncut in the original publisher’s decorated cloth, a little soiled, extremities rubbed, front cover lettered gilt. Rare first edition. Watherston (d. 1891) gained his freedom of the Goldsmiths’ Company in 1830, joined the Livery of that company in 1837 and was made a member of the Court of Assistants in 1849. He published a handful works, all related to the alloys used in gold and silver manufacture, including one on the Trial of the Pix, an ancient ceremony still held every year at Goldsmiths’ Hall in London, which was originally instituted to verify that the coinage was of the correct standard of precious metal. The Gold Valuer is an amalgam of two of his works from 1847 (Tables showing the legally appointed weight of British gold and silver coin … and A familiar explanation of the art of assaying gold and silver …). Watherston writes: ‘Some years ago, the writer framed and published the accompanying Table for the use of his brethren in the Goldsmiths’ trade; to whom the subject of alloying gold, and its value when alloyed, might then have been presumed to yield an almost exclusive interest. The enormous of gold, however, that have since been made in California and Australia, have invested the peculiarities of that noble metal with a universal regard, and would seem to render a Gold Valuer an indispensable companion both to the miner and the merchant …’ (p. viif).

• GBP 300.00 > Andere Währungen
• Bestellnummer: H771.1

• Antiquariat: Bernard Quaritch Ltd. (GREAT BRITAIN)