Name 1
THE CAST IRON VESSEL WITH A COVER FOR OBTAINING BLACK SULFIDE
Name 2
/
ID number
002.295.Idrija
Manager / Administrator
Idrija Municipal Museum, Prelovčeva 9, SI-5280 Idrija.
Ownership
Public
Owner
Municipality of Idrija, Mestni trg 1, SI-5280 Idrija
Local / Original ID Number
510:IDR;RZ-493
Type of Object
Mine, Smelting

Description

Short description
The cast iron vessel with a volume of 18 litres has a shape of a truncated cone. It is narrower at the bottom. It is then evenly spread towards the top and ends with the broader edge, which is thickened on the side and straight at the top. The vessel has two handles on the thickened edge on the sides. The cover is round and has a straight edge on its bottom side, for better joining with the vessel. In the middle of the cover there is a groove with threads. The vessel and the cover are sealed with the compression device. The device is rectangular and has a curved bottom edge and a groove in the middle, through which a longer T-shaped screw is fitted.
Measures
Length 45.5 cm, width 41.5 cm, height 53 cm.
Materials
Cast iron
Dating
1872
Author / Producer
Manufacturer information is not known.
Picture attachments
Original use
The cast iron vessel served for preparing black sulfide in a wet procedure of synthetic cinnabar. First they produced a concentrated solution. These were then kept in 300 to 500-litre cast iron tubs, also for 5 years (the older the solution, the better the cinnabar). The Cinnabar Factory of Idrija Mine had up to 30 such tubs. After ageing, they added 5 litres of polysulfide and sulfur solution and 16 kg of mercury in the described vessel, sealed it and placed it on a shaking device. A special mechanism shook 8 of these vessels simultaneously for 8 hours. In this phase, mercury reacted with sulfur from the solution, therefore the black mercury sulfide was formed. The contents of the pots was placed in the tubs with water (40 °C), KOH was added and then the contents were stirred for several days. Black sulfide transforms into cinnabar under regulated conditions. After that, it was washed out, dried, sieved and packed.
Present use
The cast iron vessel is being preserved, secured and presented as important mining heritage of Idrija with exceptional universal values. It is a part of the mining collection of the Idrija Municipal Museum. Visitors can view it within the permanent museum exhibition “Five Centuries of the Mercury Mine and the Town of Idrija”. It can also be used for different types of mercury heritage promotions.
Original location
The Cinnabar Factory of the Idrija Mercury Mine.
Present location
Idrija Municipal Museum, Gewerkenegg Castle (showroom 9).

STATE OF CONSERVATION

History of conservation:
The object is properly preserved. Additional interventions are not necessary. Security of the premises is taken care of.
Present state
good
Necessary activities:
Regular seasonal maintenance.

DOCUMENTATION

Addresses / collections / links etc. where further in-depth information is accessible:
- Inventory Book of the Idrija Municipal Museum;
- Janouš, Alois, senior furnace supervisor (k. k. Oberhüttenverwalter). Geschichtliche Entwicklung
der Zinnoberfabrikation in Idria, Ad B. D. Z. 4521 de 1897;
- Janouš, Alois, senior furnace supervisor (k. k. Oberhüttenverwalter). Darstellung des Zinnobers in
Idria in der Gegenwart, Ad B. D. Z. 4521 de 1897;
- Kavčič, Ivica. Živo srebro: Zgodovina idrijskega žgalništva. Založba Bogataj, Idrija, 2008;
- Kavčič, Ivica. Proizvodnja živosrebrovih spojin pri idrijskem rudniku skozi stoletja. Idrijski razgledi, 61/2, 2016, p. 60–76.
Submitted
Mestni muzej Idrija
Submitted by
Miha Kosmač
Date Submitted
12. 3. 2018
Date Edited
Never