Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-10-18
Very Valuable DIamonds.
New York Times.

49, AAANo 4a4 aAaAA - AOAN AGAA I
about Miss Fanny Davenport's dia
monds. The Violet Camerons, Nellie
Farrens, Florence st. Johns, and
Kate Vaughans of English burlesque
and comic opera have recently ex-
hibited a spirit Of rivalry in regard to
the display Of jewels, but Miss Dav
export is said to have out glittered
the whole Of them, aud Ler diamonds
are said to be worth over 500, 600
Mrs. Rousby, in her day, wore dia
mOnds which eclipsed those Of Adelina
Patti, and a correspondent who dwells
somewhat cynicllly upon those mat
tiers, says that the "other evening a
thrill ran through the stalls of n Of
our theaters when a diamond star fell
unpoticed from the hair of one of the
ladies just named, but Miss Fanny
Davenport might drop a couple
of handfulls and yet she would
shine, In fact, she is a jewelers. chop
herself. But, after all, in the way o
diamonds, 100000 is really a very
small matter. | remember at that
famous reception given by Mr.. Pierre
pOnt, the American ambassador, to
ex-President Grant, at least a score of
titled and other distinguished ladies
who individually wore upon their
heads and around their neeks diamonds
the size and blazeo of which would have
left Fanny Davenport's display almost
in the dark. The wife Of an English
commoner residing in the country
wears a necklace alone that is worth
100000; and, if | remember rightly,
| should Imagine that the lady who
some years ago drove London and
Paris wild as the Grand Duchesse in
Oaenbach's famous opera. must have
worn jewels considerably in advance,
as to value, of those which decorate
the famous American eomedienne.
It is not without satirical point,
in connection with the excite
ment which is being raised about
Miss D%avenport's jewels, to read
in a recent history of the Great Dia-
monds OF the World" that out Of a
list of sixty seven historic gems the
smallest of them 1.-THE Oumberland)
wss purchased over a hundred years
ago for $4,000, and the Holland
jewel, which only weighs t~hirty-six
carats, is valued at $3.50; while the
"Nassak," of 1858 carats, is reported
to be worth Sl50,000. These are sin.
gle stones; a necklace of such gems
would possibly be beyond the dream
Of even a Manchester Princess, a blue
blooded Duchess or Fanny Daven-
port; though the history of Persia
puts in evidence entire costumes that
would outvie g string Of Cum
berlands or Hollands. Sir II. Kerr
Porter tells US, in his travels, OF
a visit he paid to Tat'hh Ali, the
illustrious monarch, on which occa.
sion bis Persian Majesty entered the
, saloon zone blaze Of Jewels. which lit.
orally dazzled the sight on first look
ing at him" A lofty tiara, Of three
e elevations, was on his head, which
, shape appears to have been long pecu.
|, liar to the crown of the great King
1t was entirely composed Of thickly
, set diamonds, pearls, rubies and EN-.
5 eralds, so exquisitely disposed as to
I form a mixture of the most beautiful
: colors in the brilliant light reflected
! from its surface. Several black feath.
j ers, like the Baron's plumes, were
( intermixe1 with the Respondent
Q aigrettes Of this truly imperial dia.
/, dem, whose bending points were
|. finished with pearl shaped pearls Of an
! enormous size. The vesture was oil
gold tissue, nearly covered with a sim.
liar disposition Of jewelry; undressing
e the shoulders were two. strings
e OF pearls, probably the largest In
T the world. | call his dress a vesture
because it set so close to his person
G from the neck to the bottom Of the
! waist, showing a shape as noble as hi,
! air. AT that point it devolved down.
4 ward in loose drapery like the usual
Persian garment, aud was Of the sam,
costly materials with the vest. Blu.
T for splendor nothing could exceed th,
Y bracelets around his arms, and III,
: belt which oncircled his waist
4 They actually blazed like FIRE wher
: the rays of the sun met them; anC
when We know the names derived from
d such excessive luster, we cannot b,
surprised at seeing such an effect. Th,
u jeweled band on the right arm wa
! called the Mountain of Light ant
that on the left, the Sea of Light.
G These names we're OF course, derived
from the celebrated diamonds con
tanned in the bracelets"