The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-06-15
THE TREASURES or THE SHAH OF
PERSIA

Viscount Polington's book, entitled "Half
Round the Old World,n Just published in Eng
land, has the following description of the crown
Jewels of Persia:-
1--WE went through the first court of the palace,
and were ushered up very narrow and steep
staircase into a small room, where we found the
Kings aid-de camp awaiting us. The designs
on the wall here were very well drawn, and the
decorations more tasteful than ordinary. The
chairs were OF pure chased gold, as was also a
sort of dumb-waiter that stood in one corner.
OF these chairs the Shah possesses forty; of
the dumb-waiters nine OF course, under the
gold are wooden supports, unseen. After some
tea the Jewels were brought in for our inspec-
ton IN detail. ItwOuld be impossible to describe
eTodSced nS S OF ouT ne OF ns tney
moderate estimate on them, could not, in our
own judgment, and that of the four gentlemen
who saw them with uss, by any possibility be
nnder forty or fifty millions of pounds, that is,
Il they were to be sold singly. 0g course, In
the aggregate, no fortune would suffice to pay
for them, and therefore their true value must be
1--WE must attempt to describe few in the
order they were shown to us. An evidently
French jewel-case was brought in first and
placed on q table, round which we eagerly
gathered, awaiting its opening. In this were
some forty gold rings, each with single
diamond, of which the largest diamond, not
ring) was some one and half inch round, and
the smallest quarter Of an inch. One was a
large yellow diamond. Two diamonds were
placed as pendants at the end of large neck
lace of pearls, and there were two pearl neck
laces, each pearl perfectly round and white, and
about as large as good-siZed pea. In two little
drawers were two or three more necklaces, the
pearls this time much larger; and in the bottom
drawer another Of the largest pearls we had yet
seen, arranged-an Oblong one and round one
alternately without the slightest exagge-
ration, the size OF an unripe cherry This casket
always follows the Shah wherever he goes.
Next came collection of dozen belts, each
surprising the preceding one In costlness and
taste. One of these had the fastening buckle,
about eight inches long and three broad, studded
with perfect rubies, each about half an inch
round, set in gold. Another, diamonds only;
third, whole band set In emeralds and dia.
monds, and so on. We were then shown four
sabres; all had the fiat side of the scabbard
diamonds on the hilt and scabbard; another
was studded with pearls like large peas; third
was set with diamonds and other stones, to re-
present flowers. Two other necklaces we were
shown were about two and half feet long each,
and formed of large emeralds, each about
one inch and quarter long, alternating
with punches of pearls. The last tray
of jewels was the bonne bouehe. On
this was displayed belt of plant gold work,
the buckle consisting of the celebrated 'Derich-
nOir,' or Sea of Light;' diamond perfectly fiat,
except at the edges, and almost two inches long
| by one and quarter In breadth; 1t was set
round with other smaller diamonds; with this
there we're some bracelets of uncut rubies and
| emeralds, quite as large as pigeons eggs for the
| most part. The largest turquoise we saw was
| perfectly fiat, and about one inch by half We
| saw one of the Imperial crowns; toe other was
| kept in the inner treasury In the harem, which
is only opened once year; on the top of this is
| the famous ruby that once belonged to Aurung-
! zebe, good deal larger than pigeons egg and
uncut. A black velvet robe, with diamond but
tons and frogs, looked lugubrlous, but priceless
| others, with the collar and sleeves completely
covered with large pearls, were amongst some
| OF the things we SAW