What to do with circa 50's gold powder?

[Barren Realms 007]

What's the deal with the debate on this batch.
Take a pinch and put it in a test tube and test it and get it over with.
Heck put it on video so everyone can see it.

 

[nickvc]

Like GSP and im sure Harold i have tested loads of gold powders and they rarely have any gold at all in them,but im sure that many people who i have told there was no value there didnt believe me,hope remains eternal and reality is a hard master. I only treated one lot of gold paint and that came from the pottery industry and that was gold :shock:

 

[goldsilverpro]

I only treated one lot of gold paint and that came from the pottery industry and that was gold

That was probably something like Englehard Hanovia Liquid Gold, that you fire on. Most all glassware and dishes with gold decoration uses this product. I don't think it's in the form of a powder, though. I seem to remember that the gold is in some sort of a complex with a wood resin. I do remember that it's not fun to refine.

 

[nickvc]

I only treated one lot of gold paint and that came from the pottery industry and that was gold

That was probably something like Englehard Hanovia Liquid Gold, that you fire on. Most all glassware and dishes with gold decoration uses this product. I don't think it's in the form of a powder, though. I seem to remember that the gold is in some sort of a complex with a wood resin. I do remember that it's not fun to refine.

That is an understatement,if i remember correctly we eventually incinerated the paint and refined the ash and residues, it had a fair amount of gold in the residues but was a swine to treat.

 

[Harold_V]

if i remember correctly we eventually incinerated the paint and refined the ash and residues,

I am of the opinion that a person becomes a refiner only when they begin to understand the significance of incineration. It is the single process that solves the vast majority of problems associated with refining. I would place in second position, the timely application of a wash in HCl.

Those with an understanding know of what I speak. Those that think my comments have no relevance are the same people that struggle endlessly.

Harold

 

[Lou]

I only treated one lot of gold paint and that came from the pottery industry and that was gold

That was probably something like Englehard Hanovia Liquid Gold, that you fire on. Most all glassware and dishes with gold decoration uses this product. I don't think it's in the form of a powder, though. I seem to remember that the gold is in some sort of a complex with a wood resin. I do remember that it's not fun to refine.

I know Engelhard Hanovia bright!! They make a "paint on, bake on" platinum, palladium, and gold (and silver too I think) mixture. I know I've seen it, smelled it, and worked with it once before.

A glassblower friend of mine had a nice big bottle of Hanovia Liquid Gold that he used for the occasion of making Christmas ornaments. It's essentially really fine gold suspended in essential oils (mostly terpene like pine oils). It smells quite nice. Oddly though, I remember being suspicious that it was in fact some sort of gold compound, not gold itself, as I recall having my fingers stained purple from it...

Chris, do you remember if it was gold powder in suspension, or an AuCl3--organic complex?? I'm wondering now!!

In any case, I recommend this chap send the material in question to you.

Another option that would determine if it is at least fine gold is to take a bit to the torch.

 

[goldsilverpro]

Chris, do you remember if it was gold powder in suspension, or an AuCl3--organic complex?? I'm wondering now!!

In any case, I recommend this chap send the material in question to you.

Are you talking about my assaying it? I could probably get it to the point where I could fuse it but sampling it would be a chore.

I never did know whether it was a powder or a complex but, visually, there was no powder. I'm guessing, but it would seem that it's reduced onto the surface when fired. Somewhere, I have an article about it that appeared in the Gold Bulletin. I'll try to find it. I don't think I ever read it.

It's been about 30 years since I messed with it.

 

[goldsilverpro]

Lou,

Here's the article. It's quite good.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi all, thanks for reading this far down the thread.

And the answer is...not gold. Chris (goldsilverpro) tested some samples and nada, nothing...likely a bronze (copper) alloy.

Thanks to Chris for helping out on this and all for weighing in...

 

[nickvc]

Sorry to hear that but im not suprised,at least you have a fantastic keepsake and a tangible link to your families past.

 

[61 silverman]

I wish I would of seen this thread earlier .. I could of answered the gold ( LOOKING POWDER ) is a copper mixture makes a green solution with nitric.. The hanova paints are actual PM in their solutions which are a organic solovent, at the temperatures of the firing kiln the solovent evaporates away more than burn away leaving a deposit of metal where ever it was painted. once fired on , a chemical treatment of proper abilities for whichever metal can be disolved and collected.. My mother has used these items for over 40 years in the ceramic business... Mark

 

[61 silverman]

WHOOPS OLD THREAD......

 

[Palladium]

WHOOPS OLD THREAD......

Old thread, but new information.
Thanks Mark.

 

[jimdoc]

Its better to keep an old thread going, it keeps the forum cleaner.
And also brings the information back up for the newer members.

Jim

 

[Drewbie]

Yes. It was an interesting read.

I would have calculated the volume of powder in the tin and weighed it.

 

[riprap44]

I just joined this forum so my response is 10 years late, but I have a factory cardboard box from the United States Bronze Powder Works which contains wax envelopes containing powder. I believe that this powder may have been used with oils to create a metallic look for items like picture frames etc. I am 58 years old and both my great grandfather and grandfather were artists. I have oil paintings and watercolors done by them and the frames are rather low quality but have been "painted" with a combination of this powder and some form of oil (maybe linseed oil). Although pretty old, I don't think they have any real monetary value. I see folks on Ebay trying to sell individual wax packets without much success. Hope this late reply finds the original poster and helps in some way.