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Low & Chanute Assayers & Chemists Billhead, Leadville, Colorado 1881

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Mining Start Price:50.00 USD Estimated At:100.00 - 300.00 USD
Low & Chanute Assayers & Chemists Billhead, Leadville, Colorado 1881
SOLD
130.00USD+ (26.00) buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2016 Dec 09 @ 14:30UTC-8 : PST/AKDT
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Rare billhead for Low & Chanute, Assayers & Chemists, located Under the Post Office. Dateline Leadville, Col. Sept. 1, 1881. Billed to Mr. J.D. McCarthy for three assays of gold & silver. Deep center fold and some soiling/toning. Albert H. Low & Arthur Chanute were two important figures in Colorado mining & assaying. Their partnership appears to be short-lived. They are listed in the 1881 directory but not the 1880 or 1882. In the 1880 Leadville Directory there is no listing for Chanute, but one for Low, A. H., assayer, at 119 e. Chestnut. In the 1882 Leadville Directory there is no listing for Low, but Chanute is listed alone at the same address. Low was also associated with Denver assay firm of Von Schulz & Low and created a smelting process. From EMJ Vol. 47, 1889: “But little has been done with the Low process recently on account of the changes which have been made in the Holden Smelting Company at Denver and its works. Mr Chanute of the latter company is interested in the process and it is probable that in the coming spring the company will take some steps towards putting it in practice. There is also a possibility that the Philadelphia Smelting and Refining Company of Pueblo may conclude to take hold of it. Nothing has yet been done with the Low process beyond laboratory experiments and the securing of patents for it. Mr. Low bears the reputation of being one of the most expert chemists in Colorado from a purely chemical standpoint his process is a good one and very interesting. Its main idea is to subject the zinc blende to an oxidizing roasting dissolving the sulphurous acid gas which is given off in water. This solution is then used to dissolve the zinc oxide from the ore from which the zinc is precipitated as sulphide by heating the solution. This process can probably be done very cheaply.” Chanute also worked with Edward Holden at the Philadelphia Smelting and Refining Company smelter in Pueblo. Captain J.D. McCarthy ran the general store in Leadville and was also involved in Colorado mining operations. Today, that hardware store is now an antique store. This billhead was purchased there 135 years after it was issued. State: Colorado City: Leadville Date: FHWAC#: 41259