Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1965. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

The thesis presents an analysis of the influence of the international tin agreements (ITA) on the world tin industry between 1956 to 1985. The ITAs, the first of which came into effect in 1956, were jointly operated by tin producing and consuming countries. The International Tin Council (ITC) used a buffer stock and export controls to maintain the price of tin within a band. This experiment in stabilizing tin prices ended in October 1985, when the ITC was unable to continue its operations because it ran out of financial resources. The study first analyzes the market structure of the world tin industry in some detail. Then an econometric model which attempts to capture the behaviour of supply, demand and price of tin over the 30 year period is constructed. Particular attention was paid to the estimation of the tin production functions for major tin producing countries. In many of these countries, the output of the tin depended not only on the price of tin but also on the policies of the ITC as well as the internal political environment of the country. The model is then used to simulate a scenario in which the ITC does not intervene in the tin market. The differences in the price and revenue levels between the actual and simulated scenario are computed. The simulation results show that the tin agreements succeeded in their objective of reducing the variability of price and producers' revenue. In addition, the average level of price and revenues under the ITC regime was higher than under the non-intervention scenario. In evaluating policy options, it was shown that the establishment of a cartel is not viable in the long term for both economic and political reasons. The recommended policy options include improving access to futures markets, providing better transparency of tin market operations, the establishment of government policies which provide better incentives for tin mining and tin using industries in the major tin producing countries and continued efforts in research and development with the aim of lowering costs of production and increasing the uses for tin. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

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Les trésors de vaisselle précieuse de l’Antiquité tardive dans les îles britanniques présentent un corpus d’étude digne d’intérêt à la fois grâce à leur nombre important, à la variété des objets réunis et aux métaux employés. En effet, de nombreux ensembles de vaisselle précieuse ont été ensevelis entre le 3ème et le 5ème siècle en Bretagne romaine, tandis que d’autres dépôts issus de butins de pillage ont été trouvés en dehors des frontières de l’Empire (Écosse et Irlande actuelles). En outre, alors que les grands services d’argenterie y tiennent une part assez exceptionnelle, cette province se démarque du reste de l’Empire par une grande richesse en dépôts constitués de petits objets variés en métaux précieux (or et argent). Enfin, cette région voit se développer de façon quasiment exclusive, dès le 3ème siècle, l’industrie de l’"étain" (un alliage d’étain et de plomb dans des proportions variables), qui se prête bien à l’imitation des plats d’argenterie, donnant ainsi la possibilité à des familles moins aisées de posséder des services entiers de vaisselle de table.À partir de la constitution d’un catalogue de 229 dépôts et objets isolés, cette étude s’ouvre par une analyse typologique de la vaisselle d’argent et d’étain, comprenant l’observation des formes, des éléments décoratifs et de l’iconographie. S’ensuit l’analyse comparative du contenu de ces ensembles et de leur contexte d’enfouissement, menant à l’élaboration de tableaux typologiques et de cartes de répartition géographique. Des différenciations sont ainsi mises en évidence et permettent de tenter une interprétation de ces dépôts, témoins matériels d’une époque bouleversée. / Several hoards of precious vessels come from Roman Britain, some of them were found outside imperial boundaries (Scotland and Ireland) and represent loots of pirates. They were deposited during all Roman period, especially during the 3rd to the 5th centuries. Though large silver treasures are very rare there, this region is very rich in hoards of small precious objects of gold and silver (spoons, strainers, toothpicks, jewellery, coins, ingots…). In the meantime pewter industry flourishes from the 3rd century and vessels of this matter are produced in great quantity and diffused through the entire island, imitating silver vessels of the same period. It is often called the "poor man's silver".Through a descriptive catalogue of 229 Roman pewter and silver vessels hoards and single finds from the British Isles, this study starts with a typological and stylistic analysis of precious vessels and their imitations (forms, decoration, and techniques). It continues with a classification of all treasures and hoards that contain silver or pewter vessels, through a comparison of what they contained and where they were buried. Some of them could be of votive origin, inherited from Bronze Age.