The Red Cloud chief., 1881-04-21

'Tis sweet 20 remember when love began
Down there Ia Poverty Flat.
SOME FACTS ABOUT DIAMONDS.
Historical G-em.-Pre.ent CoadItion and
Tendency Of tire Trade.
One of our reporters yesterday
dropped into the store of a prominent
diamond broker on Broadway, and had
an entertaining conversation with the
dealer on the subject of diamonds.
The diamond is an interesting theme
for extended study" said the dealer.
whose time appeared for the
moment to be u~noccupied. "ln-
deed the history of some notable
gems Is as romantic and COM
plete rs those of the greatest Of man
kind. I have some historical speci-
mems here. for that matter. But you
asked me about the value of diamonds.
L suppose that in the vaults OF the
Equitable Building can be found the
most valuable of any in the city. There
are few exceedingly valuable ones ex-
posed for sale. Diamonds are not worn
as much as they were some years ago.
l notice that some of III wealthiest Ia
dies wear plain jewelry now in prefer
ence TO diamonds. On state occasions
Mrs. John Jacob Aston wear diamonds
worth several fortunes. Mrs. A. I.
Stewart seldom wears them. 1t is
chiefly the middle class OF society that
display them to any extent. Our best
trade is among the middle class and
the sporting Element of society.
but as to original value. Now, l
have made a study of diamonds, and his
tory tells meihatlong before the Christ
ian era the crystallized form of pure
carbon was known for its value as an in
strument for cutting. and had its place
in bijoutry. According to Indian ira
ditions, the koh-i-noor was found in the
mines of Goiconda long before Christ
birth. For centuries it was the symbol
of succession among the sovereigns OF
Central India, and in the fourteenth
century it became n OF the treasures
of Delhi. Afterward it came into the
possession of the Persian monarchs, and
Mt the victory of the rebel Nadir Shah
it was glittering in the turban of Mo
manned Shah. Nadir politely asked
Mohammed to exchange turbans with
him as a mark of friendship. For sew
eral centuries the Persian monarchs
possessed it, and in 1913 it wa made
The price of Shah Shujah's liberty by
his c%ongueror, R%unjest Singh, of Pun
jaub. With the annexation of P~unjaub
TO the East India Company's territory
in 1850 the KOh-i-noor became the
property of the Queen of England.
whose crown it now adorns, together
with 1876 other gems, the latter being
valued at S372, 600. The Koh-i-noor
since being recut weighs 122 81 carats,
and is valued at $500. 600. But this is
only one among many historic gems.
The King of Portugal owns one, which,
if genuine, of which there is some
doubt. is worth about 1913, 600, 600"
"How about the Shah of Persia's dia.
monds?"
1t is said that they are mostly
bogus. And this accounts for the fac
that diamonds are not so much worn
now as formerly. There is so much o.
the cheap trash in the market, which
a hardly be distinguished from the
genuine except by an expert. l have
diamonds here that cost SIC. 900 that
will sell for half price.
"But," continuedth dealer, "you'vt
heard of the Orloff diamond, one of thu
ornaments of the imperial scepter O.
Russia 1t was originally the eye,in al
Indian idol. from whence it was stoler
by n French soldier, who thought h,
was getting a fortune when he sold il
in Madras for 50, 400. Catharine Ii. O
Russia paid 241S, 800 for it. The Sancy
is a $50, 600 brilliant belonging t.
Russia. Henry Ill. once sent thi
jewel to the Swiss Government by :
servant. The servant was assassinated
but swallowed the diamond before h,
died, and it was afterwards taken from
his stomach. Of other famous dia
monds there are the French Eugene
the Tuscany, the Nassac. belonging t,
the Marquis of Westminster, and valued
at $14S.0 DOC, the Napoleon Regent, tn,
Hope, q blue diamond, the Dresden O
London. the Brazilian, the Car, tn,
Shah, thaPolar Star, and others of al
most fabulous worth. None of the mos
notable diamonds are owned in tn,
United States, though it was recent,
reported that Mrs. John G. Mackey, tn,
wife of the mining king. who owns 81,
100000 worth of diamonds, is said t,
have purchased one that used to adorr
a crown.
Diamond commerce proper begun
in 1928, when the Brazilian mines wer,
opened. In 1868, some children play
ing upon the banks of the Orange Rive
found a diamond weighing two and
quarter carats, and this led to the open
ing of the South African diamond fields
Extensive mines have also been opened
in Australia.
Like almost all other minerals, dia
monds and diamond dust have been tn,
circulating medium of exchange i,
many countries, and, indeed, in Brazi
have purchased even human liberty
the slave miner being given his free
dom if he should discover a damon,
of seventeen and one-quarter carat
weight and over. Diamond mines hay,
been also discovered in the Unite,
States. in Rutherford County, N. C.
Hall County, Ga; Franklin County, N
c., and in Virginia. The most valua
bic diamond found in the United State
was picked up by a poor workincma,
at Manchester, Va, in 1856. 1t weighe,
twenty-three and one seventh carats
but was Sc badly used by its ignoran
finder that its value was greatly dete
ri0rated."
.'How about thetrade in New York;
"Nearly every jeweler and broke
dabbles in diamonds, but / can't ga
that the trade has benefited the orio
inal dealers. 1t is estimated that owe
SO. 600, 900 worth of diamonds hay
been retailed here during the past yea,
1t is hard to say how large the whole
sale trade has been. The past year tn
demand has been for fine diamond.
and a fine stone which in former yea,
had to be sold for $500 or $3.50 no,
sells for from 5000 to 500.
1--WE don't sell diamonds BY an
schedule of weight. A two-carat ston
may sell for $75, and one Just as heav
for $3.50. Nor can they be sold for
certain sum per carat. A fine brilliar
weighing M carat may cost 500
while a two-carat stone of equal fin,
ness sells for $500 or $500. The ave
age diamond sold here weighs abo,
n and a quarter carats, and cos
abOut 500. They are mostly Africa