The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-04-03

7.Kohi 1SsA
.. Stewart Largest Cape iamondj...... Ss'.
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lu.tRigot. PA
III. NAssacK. uS
10. Mr. II DRESDEN; Brazil dianond.:.: 81 =
Is Prof. ~ennsnt's Cape diamond. ....... 6S III
II. "a -
The first of these, the "BraganZa,"
which was found in Brazil in 1741, is of
about the size of a hens egg, and, if it
is a diamond, it is by far the largest in
existence. But as the Portuguese gov
eminent, to which it belongs, will not
suffer it to be examined, many persons
believe it only a white topaz. Its value
is not given, but if it is indeed q real and
perfect diamond it ought to be worth
S6, 900, 900, for the "Matan," not q
quarter its size is appraised by experts
at 81, 1850, 600. For the "Orlof." a rose
diamond, now set in the top of the Rus
sian imperial sceptre, Catharine II. paid
$50, 900 roubles 1887, 5O0) and a pension
of 20, 900 roubles, and gave the Jew of
whom she bought it a patent of nobility
as we'll. The "Austrian or Florentine
brilliant" also called the Grand Duke
of Tuscany, has a slightly yellowish
hue, and is valued at $500, 600. It is
said to have been bought as a colored
crystal at a jewelers. shop in Florence.
The "Pitt," or Regent" was sold to
the Duke of Orleans in lit for $685.
900. The "Star of the South is a
brilliant which was found by a negro in
the province of Minas Geraes, Brazil, in
1855. Its value is not given, neither
have we any estimate of the value of the
famous "Koh-i-noor." The "Shah,"
presented to the Emperor Of Russia by
Chosroes, son of Abbas Mira, is q
faceted prism, and is engraved with a
Persian inscription. The "Pigott was
sold by lottery. at the end of last CEN
tury, for $3.50, 600, and afterward it was
bought by the Pasha of Egypt for the
same price, it meantime having been
obtained by Rundell & Bridge, of Lon
don, for $50, 900 only. The "Nassack"
was captured from the Peishwa Of the
Mahrattas by the Marquis of Hastings,
and was afterward purchased by the
Marquis of Westminster. The twelfth
in the list is a very large and beautiful
diamond, which was found in Brazil a
few years ago. The thirteenth, an Afri-
can stone, is now offered for sale at $780,
coo. The renowned "Sancy" diamond,
supposed to have been worn by Charles
the Bold of Burgundy when he was
killed at the battle of Nancy, though the
story is doubted, was, after passing
through several hands, sold in 1866 to
Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy. of Bombay,
for 800, 900. It thus. after many vicissi-
tudes, returned to India, its original
home. James II. sold the "Sancy" to
Louis XIV. for Sl25, 600, so the Bombay
purchaser seems to have made a good
bargain.
or these famous diamonds, the "Pitt"
and the "Kohi.noor" have the most
interesting histories. The "Pitt" is the
most perfect brilliant in existence, and
is without a rival in shape and water.
1t weighed 40 carats in the rough, and
is said to have been found in 1702 in the
mines of Partial, India, by a slave, who
concealed it in a cash he cut for thepur.
pose in the calf of his leg. Running
away from his master, he offered it to a
sailor on condition that he assist him to
escape. The sailor lured the slave
aboard the ship, and after throwing him
into the sea, sold The stone to Jamchund
for $4,000. Thomas Pitt, governor of
Fort st. George, bought it of this Hin
doc merchant for S62, 500, and had 1t cut
into a fine brilliant. The cutting occu-
pied two years, and cost $25, 600; but
tine fragments cut off we're worth fifteen
or twenty thousand dollars, 80 Pitt was
not out heavily for the improvement.
The poor man found the possession of
his treasure far from enviable; for so
fearful was he of robbery that he never
made known beforehand the day of his
coming to town, and never slept con
secntively two nights in the same house.
The fame of the diamond spread over
Europe, and many persons tried to get
a sight of it, out in vain. All sorts Of
stories we're told about the means by
which Pitt Obtained his treasure, so that
lie was at last forced to defend himself
in a pamphlet. But Pope wrote:
Asleep and naked as an Indian lay,
An honest factor stole a gem away;
He pledged il to the knight; the knight had wit.
SO kept the diamond, and the rogue was bit
As we have said Pitt sold the stone to
the Duke of Orleans, Regent of France,
in TIT, for 1915, 900. 1t was stolen
during the Reigr of Terror, but was re-
stored in a mysterious manner. Napo-
leon ]. found it CT inestimable value to
him, for after the 18th Brumaire, by
pledging it to the Dutch, he procured
the funds that we're SO Indispensable for
the consolidation of his power. It was
afterward redeemed and ornamented the
pommel Of the emperor's sword. The
''Pitt was shown at the Paris exhibi-
ton of 1856.
The history Of the Koh-i-noor is much
better known. Its antiquity is very
great; and, legendary accounts aside,
we have an authentic record Of the fact
OF it's capture by an Indian prince in
1926. On the annexation of the Pun
iaub in 1850 by the British government.
t was stipulated that the "Koh-i-noor"
should be presented to the queen. In
1851 it was displayed at the first Worlds
Fair at London. The stone was then
recut at q cost Of $40, 900. A curious
story is told of the danger it was in at
this period. The London jeweler in
trusted with the recruiting Of the Kohl
moor was displaying his finished work to
a wealthy patron, who accidentally let
the slippery and weighty gem slip
through his fingers and fall on the floor.
The jeweler was on the point of fainting
with alarm, and on recovering himself
reduced the other to the same state, by
Informing him that had the stone struck
the floor at a particular angle it would
infallibly have split in two and been ir-
reparably ruined. Nsw TorA Sun.