Skip to content
1887
Volume 25, Issue 2
  • ISSN: 0032-1400

Abstract

For a period in the early nineteenth century, when malleable platinum was first available commercially, the high temperature and corrosion resistant properties of the metal were utilised for the manufacture of the touch-holes and pans of flintlock pistols, guns and rifles by English gunmakers, who also used it for some simple decorative purposes. Advances in firearms technology resulted in the effective disappearance of this application round about 1820, although by then platinum was used in various forms of percussion gun. This article considers some aspects of the flintlock use, including the claim made by Joseph Manton that he was the inventor of platinum touch-holes.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1595/003214081X2527481
1981-01-01
2024-12-21
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/pmr/25/2/pmr0025-0074.html?itemId=/content/journals/10.1595/003214081X2527481&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1. Joseph Manton, British Patent, 3558;1812 [Google Scholar]
  2. T. H. Needham, T. B. Johnson, 1817, “The Complete Sportsman”, Simpkin and Marshall, London, p. 165 [Google Scholar]
  3. Donald McDonald, 1960, “A History of Platinum”, Johnson Matthey, London, This book includes a comprehensive study of the arrival in Europe, the examination and the early uses of platinum from South America. Relevant articles by the same author include “The First Experiments on Platinum”, Platinum Metals Rev., 1965, 9, (1), 20; “William Hyde Wollaston”, ibid., 1966, 10, (3), 101 [Google Scholar]
  4. J. D. Lavin, 1965, “A History of Spanish Firearms”, Herbert Jenkins, London, p. 205 [Google Scholar]
  5. B. Thomas, 1811, “The Shooter’s Guide”, 3rd Edn., Gale and Curtis, London, p. 205 [Google Scholar]
  6. John Manton, British Patent, 3942, 1815 [Google Scholar]
  7. L. F. Gilbert, 1952, Notes Records Roy. Soc., 9, 311 [Google Scholar]
  8. M. C. Usselman, 1978, Platinum Metals Rev., 22, (3), 104 [Google Scholar]
  9. S. Parkes, 1815, “Chemical Essays”, Baldwin, Cradock and Joy, London [Google Scholar]
  10. L. F. Gilbert, W. Keith Neal, Correspondence between D. M. S. Watson Library, University College London, L. F. Gilbert Collection, box 6, file 3, item 1, and box 8, file 2, item 3(i)
  11. W. Keith Neal, D. H. L. Back, 1967, “The Mantons: Gunmakers”, Herbert Jenkins, London [Google Scholar]
  12. W. Keith Neal, D. H. L. Back, 1978, “The Manton Supplement”, Compton Press, Tisbury [Google Scholar]
  13. Op. cit., (Ref. 9), p. 216
  14. P. Hawker, 1854, “Instructions to Young Sportsmen”, 10th Edn., Longman, London, 2 [Google Scholar]
  15. Op. cit., (Ref. 9), p. 376
  16. W. Keith Neal, D. H. L. Back, 1980, “British Gunmakers Their Trade Cards, Cases and Equipment, 1760–1860”, Compton Press, Warminster [Google Scholar]
  17. Even in the first edition of “The Shooter’s Guide”, 1809, when Thomas’s platina touchholes had been used for only two seasons, platina was said to be cheaper than gold
  18. Op. cit., (Ref. 14), 1816, 2nd Edn., Hunter and Ridgway, London, p. 30
  19. Op. cit. (Ref. 12), p. 121
  20. Ibid., p. 119120
  21. J. A. Chaldecott, 1979, Platinum Metals Rev., 23, (3), 118 [Google Scholar]
  22. A. J. Forsyth, British Patent, 3032;1807 [Google Scholar]
  23. P. A. Bedford, 1965–67, J. Arms Armour Soc., V, (1), 31 [Google Scholar]
  24. Op. cit., (Ref. 14), p. 48
  25. Unpublished letters of George Matthey, in the possession of Johnson Matthey & Co Limited
/content/journals/10.1595/003214081X2527481
Loading
/content/journals/10.1595/003214081X2527481
Loading

Data & Media loading...

  • Article Type: Research Article
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error
Please enter a valid_number test