Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-06-26
A STORY ABOUT GOLD AND PRECIOUS
STONES AND RARE WORKMANSHIP

tourist or visitor should CONSIDER his trip COM
plete without AN inspection OF its unique and
elegant interior. Col. Andrews, the pro.
pretor, is a typical Californian. A Veteran
OF the Mexican War, and pioneer Of 40, he
is still in the prime of life, and as full OF
youthful enthusiasm as when he first set out
to make his fortune in the new III Dorado of
the West. At first successful merchant in
Sacramento, he has since rambied over half
the world, and tried his luck in all manner Of
ven lures. In the great fire of November,
1858. he and his partners found their stock
destroyed, their business swept away, and a
debt OF $50, 600 on their shoulders. Prompt
action and good management retrieved the
disasters of those early days and in less than
two years the firm had paid all their debts
and had a surplus of $3.50, 600 left. In 1856,
and went East; but soon firing of the quiet
life of that section, he returned to the Pacific
coast, and in a few months found himself a
loser through mining specGlations, to the ex-
tent Of 5000 coo, and dead broke. San Fran
cisco then attracted him, and but partially
successful there, he went to South America.
The next eight years finds him deep in
desperate speculations rich one day and
poor another, theatrical manager in Lima,
-four dealer III Callao, selling diamonds in
London and hats in Panama, bulling GOLD
dIOlS WIFI Jno uedNlGSt OItIdGOTS III New
York, or fat broke III Guayaquil, but every
where the same restless, sangulne, irrepressibe
spirit, making and losing half dozen for
tunes, never discouraged or cast down, but
always ready to try again, and always able
by the confidence that integrity and fair deal
ing never fails to inspire TO get on his feet
again, and make fresh start in the race for
wea tn and position. Turning again to the
Pacific coast, he engaged in variety of enter
prises, some successful, some otherwise, till in
1872 he embarked IN his old business and
opened q jewelry house under the Cosmo-
politan Hotel. His restless and enterprising
spirit could not long rest content with "A mere
success in business, and as soon as be found
himself fairly launched, he began to arrange
for more extensive quarters, out of which has
grown the Diamond Palace. The conception
and design of this beautiful store, in itself an
example of the audacity of modern business
ideas, is entirely his own. In its adornment
he has lavished fortune, and exhausted the
genius OF the best artists and artiticers of the
city. The salesroom is a casket worthy of
the jewels it contains. Its floors are of
marble, the walls are Of French plate mirrors,
framed in pillars of ebony and gold, white the
vaults and arched ceiling is a triumph of the
fresco painters art. Several of tie panels
overhead are decorated with full length oil
portraits OF Scriptural characters, prominent
among them being Esther, Rebecca, Deborah
Jephtha's daughter and Delilah, painted by
Garaboldi, while heather mythology is repre-
Sented by single contribution III the shape
of an exquisite Venus painted by Tojetti A
quaint and brilliant conceit is the use of real
gems on these figures, instead of attempting
to represent the jewels worn by Oriental
maidens with the pigments of the painter.
The diadem that encircles Queen Esther's
brow is OF real diamonds, and the belt on
Herodia's beautiful daughter sparkles with
gems that many living Princess might envy.
No less than twenty eight thousand dollars
worth OF diamonds are employed in these
decorations alone, and the effect when the
glittering gfotto Is lighted up with a hundred
gas Jets is bewildering in its beauty. The
walls reflect back every object from
a hundred points. Long reaches of elegant
covered with show cases, are multi
piled again and again. and stretch away in
yistas until the beholder may
well imagine that not merely this one store
but the whole block is converted into a
Diamond Palace, stored with luxurious gems
and gold, wrought into all the thousand forms
of beauty that refined taste can devise or
skillful hands execute. Though at first glance
it seems that all the goods in the store are in
sight, little inquiry develops the fact that
only small portion of the stock is exposed to
view. The show window, of itself a store of
no small magnitude, is filed with costly
diamonds, elegant silverware, expensive
watches, and mantel clocks Of most elaborate
workmanship, and one hundred and twenty
feet OF showcases, filed with all the varied
forms which gold and precious stones can be
made to assume, line the counters but, how
ever heavy the sales, there Is never a vacant
place in one OF them, for as soon as an article
rar,lacaI from he
hid away from public view in SONG of the
many vaults and caskets provided for their
The double line of counters,
running the entire length of the salesroonl,
and forming central aisle, in which the sales
men are alone allowed, contain chests of
drawers forty in number, while III the pri-
vate Office i'll the rear, four large chilled iron
safes built into the wall conceal in their
cavernous depths a wealth of costly goods
sufficient to freight a ship. But it is not
merely the quantity or the costly character of
its wares that render this establishment
famous. One of It's chief attractions consists
il the elegant and original designs every
where displayed. Curiousy -contrived and
finished presentation pieces,
prizes of plate, offered by civic societies;
cham pionship belts, watches of intricate
workmanship, sll worked out by its own
especial artists, and from designs drawn for
the occasion, constantly fill it's showcases
and attract the attention of the passer-by
The number of presentation watches that
have been manufactured to order, all differ
ing in style aud ornamentation, is incalcula-
bic, but it is safe to assume that
wherever one sees a particularly beauti-
fuI time-piece it is from the Dia-
tatiOn OF the establishment for such work
rso,eyuizad rho yvban anythiuor nf ths kind Is
wanted in any part of the coast an order is
given to Colonel Andrews, with Instructions
TO exercise his own judgment in the manu-
facture. Every one who visited the city dur
ing the reception OF General Grant will re-
member the pyramid formed of specimens of
gold quartz from all the mines of the coast,
presented to the distinguished guest. It's
unique beauty and value as an evidence of
the boundless mineral wealth of this region,
no less than the taste and artistic skill dis
playedini production, attracted widespread
attention.. At present another somewhat
similar gem of art, illustrating the rare
beauty and richness of our California quartz, |
is now in process of manufacture, and when
completed will altogether eclipse the original |
design. The reader must not assume that |
none but costly goods, fit only for wealth and |
high station, are carried by this establish
nent. Though naturally it is only the |
rare and beautiful designs, the massive |
plate, expensive watches and diamonds, and |
The rich jewely that fixes the attention |
If the casual visitor, the customer will always |
ind something to suit both his tastes and his
purse, be it ever so modest and the purchaser |
If cheap watch or simple pair of cuff
buttons will receive the same polite attention |
and painstaking care in selection that is given |
10 the magnate who orders set of diamonds. |
Indeed, it is this characteristic of the house, |
taken in connection with its reputation for |
strictly fair dealing, that has made it so pop |
llar with the public. Every day the store is
with strangers, who, having heard
If its marvellous beauty from others, or at
,racted by the display in passing, stop to ex-
anime and admire. All are welcome, and |
every one is shown through with courtesy.
Costly goods are exhibited with an air that |
indicates that there is nothing to be done |
out to make things agreeable. No
me is invited to buy or allowed to
ieel that it is expected of them. If
hey buy, all . right; if not, they
are sure to go away with pleasant recollec- |
ton of the store and of the unobtrusive cour-
tesy with which they have been received. In
this way the place mas been known all over