Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-03-28
VALUE OF AND PASSION FOR Ola
MONDS.

MONDS.
We are all devoted admirers of the diamond
it is not to be presumed that the wealth Of ma
ture is more exhausted in their production than
in paving-stones, but, by some governing law,
diamonds are very rare, and, being intrinscally
valuable and transcendently beautiful they are
courted as the chieiest adornment Of beauty
The world has always been witness to warm adj
mirers Of the precious stone, but we have just
heard of one of the most extraordinary mono
maniacs, because the most wealthy that ever
lived. We alude to the Duke of Brunswick,
who is treated IN this connection as follows =
He has in his possession three millions of
dollars worth of diamonds. He has Just pub
lished catalogue of his diamonds, and in the
appendix there is notice of the most ceebrat-
ed diamonds in the world. This catalogue num-
bers not less than 26S quarto pages. 1t gives,
with.gre detail, list of his white transpar-
ent, frst-white, second white, steel-white,
blue-whitp, light-bluc, black blue, lightyellow,
bright yellow, amber-y yellow, straw, champagne,
deep-rose, rosy, lght-rose, opaescent, pome-
granite, violet, greenish green, sea-grccn, brown,
lght-brown, deep-brown, dusk-black, opaque
black, London-fog, sandy, frosty, black spotted,
cracked split, scratched, il-cur, uncut, square,
round, oval, oblong, octagon, pointed, pigeon
eyed almond, Chinese-eyed diamonds. 1t re-
lates how this adorned Turkish sabre, that
royal diadem another an Imperial collar, third
a Grand Electoral hat this black diamond was
an idols eye, that brilliant rosy diamond was
taken from the Emperor Babar, at Agra, in 1926
tit weighs Al carats, and is worth S69,0O0,)
those were the waistcoat buttons of the Emper-
or Don Pedro; this diamond ring, with the
Stuart coat of arms and the cypher IN. S."
belonged to Mary Queen of Scots, that pair of
earrings hung once on Marie Antoinette. The
Duke of Brunswick has in his possession fifteen
of the ninety known diamonds, weighing thirty
six carats, but he has not diamond worth
3200,000. He has plenty of diamonds worth
100000. 100000, and $4,000 piece he has
two worth 100000 each, one worth $4,000,
and one worth $4,000; but he hasn't one
worth 100000. He is in treaty now for two
diamonds, one of which is worth 1922 900, and
the other $6j0, 900, and which rank in the order
of precedence established by adamartologists,
in the sixth rank whichis next after the Regent
diamond and the former in the eighth rank.
that is next after the Orloff diamond of Russia.
In his list of celebrated diamonds he places in
the first rank brilliant white diamond, weigh
ing 2j0 carats, and belonging to some East In
dian prince, and worth 1900 900; next comes
the Koh-i-noor, which weighs 1856 caratS, and
which he sets down as worth Sl,3S3,S40 next
comes the Rajah Of Matara's (Borneo) diamond
it is of the most beautiful water conceivable
the Governor of Batavia offered the Raah SljO,.
600, two briggs of war, armed, equipped, and
proyisioned for six months, and large quaint.
ty of cannon-balls powder, and congreye rock
cts the Rajah refused them all, and preferred
keeping his diamond, which passes for tails
man it is worth 81 ,339 400. Next comes the
Great Mogol which is of beautiful rose color
and of the shape and size of half hens egg
it is worth S7S4,000, according to the Duke o
Brunswick's valuation, though Taverner, the
traveller sets 1t down as being worth S2344 ,
Goo the Regents diamond of France (anC
which, by the way, belonged to Lord Chatham
grandfather, who brought it from India, con
cealed in the heel of his shoe,) comes only il
the fifth rank it weighs 1856 l2 caras-it i,
worth 1885,, $40; the purest diamond known
it required two years to cut it before it was Gu
it weighed 40 carats the clippings of it wert
sold for $4,000.
The Duke of Brunswick says the Orloff Dia
mond of Russia is worth only S344,360, ant
not SlS,5l6,5S0, as some persons have pretend
ed and he says the Sancy diamond, which
Prince Paul Demidof purcha ,ed at the price o
100000, is worth Only 500, 100 but then tn,
Duke Of Brunswick reckons ita historical valu
as nothing, although ii once adorned the sworC
of Charles the Bold, was found after his dealt
on the batlle.fie of Nancy, was sold in Swift
erand, carried to Portugal and there sold, be
longing to King Antonio, to Henry ILL.,, wa
swallowed by noble to whom he confded it
swallowed by the faithful noble rather than de
liver it to robbers, and was found in his body
which was disinterred for the purpose Of discov
ering it, The Duke of Brunswick dares no
leave Paris, at any period Of the year his dia
monds keep him chained there. He dares no
sleep from home (some people reckon this lib
erty of pillow one of the great franchises of Paris
single night. Then, he lives in house con
structed not so much for comfort as security
1t is burglar proof, surrounded on every side b,
high wall the wall itself is surrounded by
lofty railing, defended by innumerable sharI
spear~heads, which are so contrived that if an,
person touches any one of them, chime o
oenS nsgins instantly to ring an alarm thi
don rull,ng cost him $l4,l27 He keeps hi
bo "; ~ '1 In safe, built in a thick wall hi
breoL intO 'i /, against it, that no burglar ma!
inc h; INTO without killing, or, at least, wax
ing MN, and that he NAV Smuse himself will
thenn Without leaving his bed Tbis safe IL lin
ed with granite and iron; the ,oaIa 20 90, 90
cret which must be known heso,.o 20 nave 90
opened II they are opened by vioi I"e! oa" ~
charge OF firearms takes place. VIII Jn.c, us
itably kill the burglar, and at the snr, WIZ lneV
chime OF bells in every room in his hon ..ue,
set ringing He has bu. one window =; ar ~,
bedroom; the sash is of the stoutest iron m n! NJ
shutters are of thick sheet-iron. The "a,, w
n hfg a.,l,a