The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1882-11-15
Queen Victories Crown,

1888 by the well-knOwn London jew
clers, Messrs. Rundell e. Bridge, with
jewels taken from old crowns and
others furnished by her majesty. 1t is
thus officially described: 1t consists
of diamonds, pearls, rubies, sapphires
and cmcralds, set in silver and gold ;
it has a crimson velvet cap with ermine
border, and is lined with white silk.
Its gross weight is thirty-nine ounces
five pcnnyweights, troy. The lower
part of the band, above the ermine
border, consists of a row of 129 pearls,
and the upper part of the band of a
row of III pearls, between which, in
front of the crown, is a large sapphire
(partly drilled) purchased forthecrown
by his majesty King George ". At
the back is a sapphire of smaller
size, and six other sapplires (three on
each side), between which are eight
emcralds. Above and below the seven
sappllircs are fourteen diamonds, and
around the eight emeralds l2S dia-
mOnds. Between the emcralds and
the sapphires are sixteen trefoil orna-
ments, containing 100 diamonds.
Above the band are eight sapphires
surmountcd by eight diamonds, be
tween which are eight festoons con
sisting of 14S diamonds. In the front
of the crown, and in the center of
a diamond Maltese cross, isthe famous
ruby said to have been given to Ed
ward, Prince of Wales, son Of Edward
the Third, called the Black Prince, by
Don Pedro, king of CASTLE, aftcrs tile
battle of Najera, near Vittoria, a. D..
1867. This ruby was worn in the
helmet of Henry v. at the battle of
Agincourt, A. D. l415. 1t is pierced
quite through, after the Eastern
custom, the upper part of the
piercing being filled up by a
small ruby. Around this ruby, in
order to form the cross, are seventy
five brilliant diamonds. Three other
Maltese crosses, forming the two sides
and back of the crown, have emerald
centers, and contain, respectively, 1872,
124 and 100 brilliant diamonds.
Between the four Maltese crosses are
four ornaments in the form Of the
French flcur-de-lis, with four rubies in
the ccnters and surrounded by rose
diamonds, containing respectively
eighty-five, eighty-six and eighty-seven
rose diamonds. From the Maltese
crosses issue four imperial arches,
composed of oak leaves and acOrns
the leaves contain 72S rose, table and
brilliant diamonds, thirty-two pearls
form the acorns, set in cups containing
fiftv-four rose diamonds and one table
diamond. The total number OF dia-
monds in the arches and acOrns is los
brilliant, ZIG table and $50 rose dia-
monds. From the upper of the arches
are suspended four large pendant pear
shaped pearls. with ose diamond caps,
containing twelve rose diamonds, and
stems containing twenty-four very
small rose diamonds. Above the arch
stands the mound. containing in the
lower hemisphere 304 brilliants and in
the upper 224 brilliants, the zone and
arc being composed of thirty three rose
diamonds. The cross on the summit
has a rose-cut sapphire in the center,
surrounded by four large brilliants and
10S smaller brilliants.
The summary of the brilliants COM
prised is as follows: One large ruby,
irregularly polished; n large broad
sapphire, sixteen sapphires,
eleven emeralds, four rubieS, 1868
brilliant diamonds, 1878 s dia-
monds, 147 table diamonds, four drop
shaped pearls and 273 pearls. One
estimate in detail makes the value of
the precious stones almost ell2,OOW
without taking into account the gold
in which they are set. The Agincourt
ruby is popularity supposed to be worth
"e5O0,OO0 sterling" but apart from
its historic value it would not bring
more than one-half Of that sum. a few
years ago, however, it and two other
stones in the queens possession were
valued at 100000, SO that the de-
tailed estimate already given is per-
haps under the mark. The Ampulla is
eagle-shaped receptacle of chased
gold, weighing about ten ounces, with
accessory gold spoon, ornamented
with four pearls. The coronation ring
is a large table ruby engraved with a
st. Georges cross and set in plain gold.
The regalia, it may be said, came near
being destroyed at the fire in thetower,
October 80, 1911. They would have
been sacrificed but for the pluck of a
police officer, Superintendent Pierce.