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Abstract

This article, based on the correspondence of N. R. Mamyshev, the manager of the Goroblagodatsky state district, from 1824‒1825, examines the development of artistic casting and forging of cast iron and platinum in the Ural mining region. He used the skill of local foundry workers to create a souvenir brand for the district — rings made from high-quality cast iron from Mount Blagodat — and then to market a new metal — platinum, discovered in 1824 in the Goroblagodatsky mining district. The consumer qualities of jewelry, cutlery, and stationery made from purified Ural platinum and its copper alloys were equal to those of gold and other precious metals. Platinum sent from the Urals also began to decorate items from the imperial crystal and porcelain factories, and in 1825, they were presented as an Easter gift to Alexander I. Mamyshev`s vision was to introduce platinum jewelry into the luxury market and make it fashionable, thereby increasing sales. While a cast iron ring was perceived as a souvenir, a platinum ring was perceived as a premium product and an object of representative culture.