Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-10-14
QUEEN vICrORIA,s GROWN.


Queen Victorias crown was made in 1888 by
the well-known London jewelers. Messrs Run
dell & Bridge, with jewels taken1eom old crowns
and others furnished by her Majesty 1t is thus
officially described:-It consists OF diamonds.
pearls. rubies, sapphires and emeralis. set in
silver and gold; it has q crimson velvet cap with
ermine border, and is lined with white silk It's
gross weight is 80 ounces 5 pennyweights. troy
The lower part of the band, above the ermne
border, consists of n row of 1919 pearls, and the
upper part of the band of row of liz pearls
between which. in front of the crown. is large
sapphire CpaIty drilled purchased for the
crown hy his Majesty King George ".
At the back is a sapphire of smaller
size, and six other sappIires (three on
each side) between which are eight emer-
aids. Above and below the seven sapphires
are fourteen diamonds. and around the eight
emeralds us diamonds. Between the emeralds
and the sapphircs are sixteen trefoil ornaments
containing 100 diamonds. Above the band are
eight sapphires surmOunted by eight diamonds
between which are eight festOOns consisting of
l4S diamonds. In the front of the crown and
in the center of a diamond Maltese cross. is the
famous ruby said to have been given to Edward.
Prince OF Wales son OF Edward the Third,
called the Black Prince, by Don Pedro,
King of CASTLE, after the battle of Najera.
near FittOria. A. ID. 1867. This ruby was
worn in the helmet of Henry w.. at the bat
tie of Agincourt A. d. 1415. 1t is pierced
quite through, after the eastern custom the
upper part of the piercing being filled up by
small ruby. Around this ruby, in order to form
the cross, are seventy-tiye brilliant diamonds
Three other Maltese crosses, forming the two
sides and back of the crown. have emerald cen
tiers, and contain. respectively, 1872. 1874 and 100
brilliant diamonds. Between the four Maltese
crosses are four ornaments in the form of the
French feur-de-lis, with four rubies in the CEN
tiers and surrounded by rose diamonds, contain
ing respectively eghty-tive, eghty-six and
eighty-seven rose diamonds. From the Maltese
crosses issue four imperial arches. composed
of OAK leaves and acornS the leaves contain
IT'S rose, table and brilliant diamonds, thirty
two pearls form the acOrns, set in cups con-
tanning tifty-fOur rose diamonds and one table
diamond. The total number of diamonds i'm
the arches and acOrns is 108 brilliant. 116 table
and $50 rose diamonds From the upper of the
| arches are suspended four large pendant pear
shaped pearls. with rose diamond caps. contain
ing twelve rose diamonds, and stems containing
twenty-fOur very small rose diamonds Above
the arch stands the mound, containing in the
lower hemisphere 304 brlliantS and in the upper
pa brlliants the zone and arc being composed
of thirty-three rose diamonds. The cross on the
summit has q rOSe-cut sapphire in the CENTER
surrounded by four large brillants and l0S
smaller brilliants.
The summary of the briliants comrrisetlis as
follows: One large ruby, irregularIy polished;
large brOad-spread sapphire 16 sapphires. IL
emeralds. rubies. 1868 brilliant diamonds,
,213 rose diamonds, LAT table diamonds. drop
shaped pearls, and 273 pearls. One estimate in
detail makes the value of the precious stones
almost f112,OOO without taking into account
the gold which they are set. The Agncourt ruby
is popularity supposed to be worth 1880. 600 ster-
ling. but apart from its historic value it would
not bring more than One-tenth of that sum.
few years ago. however, it and two other
stones in the Queens possession were valued at
f10O, COO so that the detailed estimate already
given is perhaps under the mark. The Ampulla
is an eagle shaped receptacle of chased gold,
weighing ABOUT ten ounces, with an accessory
gold spoon, Ornamented with four pearls. The
coronation ring is large table ruby engraved
with St Georges cross and set i'm plain gold
The regalia, it may be said. came near being
destroyed at the fire in the Tower October 80,
1S41- They would have been sacrificed but tor
the pluck of police officer. Superintendent
Pierce. and he didn't even get royal warrant
negotiable at fifty per cent discount.