The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-08-02

test and the best way to apply it is to place at
,nvenient distance the diamond and the needle
or bored piece of paper on some immovabie sup
port. when if the point or hole appears double
You may be certain that the stone Is not Qua
mond.
The belief that diamonds are always white
i a popular error, for colored diamonds are very
common, although seldom much valued Mr.
Hopes celebrated NHe diamond, Of 44s carats,
was Justly looked upon as of the most extra
ordinary attractions Of the great London Exblbl-
ton of 1854, uniting, it did, the color OF the
sapphire with the Respondent lustre OF the dla-
mond. The N0cic diamond 81 the Sultan OF Bor-
neo is also classified among the most remarkable
gems.
It is now time to speak Of those historical dia-
monds the legend whereof has proved such
fruitful theme for poets and ronaIcers. 'FRONT.'
nent among them stands the
KOH-I-NooR,
or Mountain of Light" once the property OF the
Great Mogul Shah lehan, and afterwards Of
Eunieet Sing, the Sultan OF Lahore, since whose
death and the annexation OF the PunJaub by the
East-Ind.a company it was presented by the
latter to the Queen of England, and Is now the
most valuable OF the British crown jewels. The
stone having been originally cut IN very unsa-
tisfactory manner. it was decided after c"nsulta-
ton with the best judges OF such matters to have
it re-cut whereby its size and weight were consi-
deraby reduced, although the appearance OF the
gem was much improved. This operation re-
duced the koh-i-nOor from ls6 to 1929 carats,
so that it is now inferior in size to the
REGENT, OR PITT DIAMOND,
which, in its rough state, weighed 4lO carats.
and was reduced by cutting to 1861. 1t was
originally found in Golconda, and was purchased
by Thomas Pitt Governor Of Madras, III l70l, for
As, 600 pagodas, or about s9o0OO The expense
of cutting it into fine brilliant was over s2O, UO,
and the most expert diamond cutters OF the time
were employed at it for two years In l7l7 1t
was purchased for a much large sum by the
Duke of Orleans, Regent OF France, during the
minority of Louis XIV, whence came its present
name. The Regent is universally admitted To o.
the finest diamond in the world, combining, as II
does, great size with extraordinary beauty and
purity Louis XIV and his successor wore II on
their cap Of state, but Napoleon the First had 1t
set in the pummcl OF his sword. 1t Is now the
brightest ornament Of the French crown. where
il is surrounded by $500 of the finest brliliants,
whose aggregate weight is 1888 carats. and by 96
sapphires Of exquisite shape and perfect beauty,
weighing ri carats The Regent is valued at
II, 600, 600 Of francs, or about s2,2o0,0@l.
The diamond which comes next to the Regent
and Kob- moor, is that OF the
EAJAH OF NATHAN.
in Borneo, by whom it is looked upon az kind
of talisman and AZ possessing the power OF curing
s. all the ills that flesh is heir to- to which fact
is to be attributed his persistent refusal to part
with 1t for any amount II is said to be OF the
purcst water, and to have weighed 367 carats
before being reduced to its present size by the
process of cutting.
Another celebrated diamond Is the
''MooN OF THE MOUNTAINS.
which was one of the eyes of an idol in Malabar,
from which it was stolen by French renegade
who had become one of the priests OF ScteTlng.
ham, the name Of that idol. Having accom-
plished this feat, he went to Madras and sold
Scberinghams eye to ship captain for 20, 600
rupees, (abont $4,000. After passing through
great many hands, it was finally purchased b.
Prince Orloff for the Empress Catharine, OF
Russia, from lite last owner, a Greek or Armenian
merchant, called Shafras, who obtained for it 600
900 rubles, $780, OO), besides life pension OF
over $1,000 and patent Of nobility This
diamond is now the chief ornament Of the Rus
sian sceptre where it is pl iced immediately
beneath the golden eagle by which it is crowned.
1t is of circular pyramdal shape, and weighs
1914 carats.
THE TUSCAN DIAMOND,
which formerly belonged TO the Grand Duke of
Tuscany, and is now one Of the Austrian crown
diamonds, is one inch long aud one inch broad,
weighs 1885, carats, and is valued at 1886
THE KING OF PORTUGAL
is the happy owner of several large and magnlfl-
cent diamonds from the Brazil mines one Of
which, called the Round Brilliant has been cs
mated at the somewhat stunning sum OF 3SS, go
pounds sterling, or nearly tcO millions Of dollars.
MIR. Nave, distinguished crystaliographer,w who
had the opportunity Of looking closely at ii, ex-
presses the opinion that it is not diamond, but
a whHe topaz. Its weight is 2l5 carats.
THE SANCY DIAMOND
has quite an interesting history, having once
belonged to Charles the Bold, who wore it in his
helmet at the battle Of Morat, in Switzerland,
where his stormy career came to an end. 1t was
picked up on the battle field by Swiss soldier,
who sold it to priest for one form az cents),
the purchaser afterwards dispo>ing OF it for
hands. we trace it, in the sixteenth century, to
King of Portugal, Antonio, who sold it for
nobleman called De sancy, from whom
1t descended to Nicholas HaIlay do Sancy, one
Of the supporters Of Henry " during his
sorely pressed for money to pay his troops, ap-
piled to the Baron de Sancy for the loan of his
diamond in order to use it as pledge, and it
was entrusted by the latter to = messenger,
who was killed on the way by one of the numer-
GUS bands Of "jay-hswkers' who roamed over
The country during the civil war. After much
inquiry it discovered that his body had been
found and buried In a country village, whereupon
de Sancy wrote to Henry Nv that now that he
knew where the body of his faithful servant was,
he felt certain he would recover his diamond.
The body was disinterred and opened, and the
BarOn's prediction proved true, the messenger
having swallowed the gem when he saw he
was about to be murdered. After successfully
to Louis XIV and Louis XIV Of France, the Sancy
diamond became the property OF Count Dcmi-
loft. a Russian millionaire, to whose heir we be- |
ieve, it still belongs. 1t weighs 5Sl carats, is
Dear Snapcu. ana IL OF great purify anu me |
water. Demidoff purchased it for sou, COG roubes
1876, OOO)
THE NUssAC DIAMOND
vas capturedSy the Marquis of Hastings during
he Mahratta war in India. II is of 79t carats,
md is now owned by tt e Duke of Westminster
he wealthiest nobeElan in England. and, with
he exception of the khedive of Egypt and, per-
laps. the Rothschilds, the richest man in the
verdi He bought it from Rundel x Bridge, the
;reat London jewelers., for ell 900, or $50, 240.
THE PIGGoTT DIAMOND,
vhich is said to have been the finest in Europe
rom its extraordinary purity of water, has also
omewhat tragic history. After being sold in
England for $50 0OO it became the property of
Iii, Pacha ofJanina, who always carried it about
is person. After the Albanian tiger was brought
D bay by the Turkish forces, aud had been NOR
ally wounded, he retired to his palace and or
cred on. of his attendants to strangle his fave
tie wife Vasilika, and to have his favorite dia-
lond reduced to powder IN his presence. The
vt order only was carried out, aud the riggott
iamond now only exists in history.
THE SHAH OF PERSIA
probably the owner OF tie largest collection of
ems in the world; MIR Eastwick, tho Secretary
the British Legation at Teheran, was favored
Ifh the Siuhk Of in