Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-07-09
FAMOUS JEWELS.
The Wonderful Hope Collection nf Dia-
monds, Sapphires, Opals and Pearls.

Tho Wonderful Hope Collection NJ Ola
monds, Sapphires, Opals and Pearls.
The collection of Jewels and precious
stones formed by the late Mr.. Henry
Phillip Hope, the greater portion of
which is to be sold, was one of very re-
markable interest, chiefly on account Of
the famous blue diamond which more
than half a century back was known rs
the Hope diamond. having come into
the possession of Mr.. Henry Thomas
Hope of Amsterdam, in London. This
extremely rare gem, however, which
was she rival of the Koh-i-noor in the
great exhibition of 1851, and which is
the chief of about five of the only blue
diamonds known, is not included in the
present sale.
A splendid star of azure fire shines
out in the lovely sapphire known histor-
ically as lie Sapphire Merveilleux,"
upon which Nine. de Genlis founded a
charming story when it belonged to
Philippe Egalitc, Due d'Orleans. In
color this beautiful stone. which is five
eighths of an inch octagon set round
with small brilliants as a ring, is even
richer and softer in its tone than the
blue diamond, but less fierce in its lus-
fer. Its weight is "a grains; not large,
therefore, since there is IN at Ava of
sol carats, and the in the collection
Of the Jardin DIES Plantes weighs 1872 1-16
carats, without a flaw, which was found
by a poor Bengalee, afterward pur-
chased by n Mr.. Ruspoli. of Rome,
and eventually came 20 a Paris jewel
merchant for 40, 900 francs.
Another interesting jewel is the King
OF Candy's cat's-cye. the largest known,
being an inch and a half in d ameter
and hemispherical, mounted in the
original Oriental setting of gold studded
with rubies cut en- cnbochon. Its color
cannot be better described than by its
resemblance to the glistening green and
tawny yellow of the cruel eye of cats
and tigers. The charm of the cat's-eve
is in the changing streak or ray of sill
very light, and this 1t is that led the
Cingalese to fancy that it held a genie
who could protect against witchcraft,
so that they prize with supcrstitious
veneration these strange stones. There
are several other specimens in the col
lection, and IL of the gold cat's-eyes
known to mineralogists rs crocidoHte.
OF the opals there are some fine
specimens, both of the Hungarian,
which are the best. and of the Mexi-
can, which are softer and more porous.
A beautiful ornament made of these
gems is most appropriately formed like
n chameleon, with the creatures back
studded all over with opals of changing
irridescence. This is IN exceedingly
fine example of the art of the ioaizier
of the seventeenth century, in gold
and enamel work.
Another very interesting opal is the
''MeXican sun OPAL" so called from
having the head of the sun god carved
upon it. This is an inchlong and near
]y the same in width, and the carving
seems to be barbaric and not ANTIQUE
Roman, or we might fancy it was the
opal of historic celebrity which was COW
eted by Marc Antony, and led him to
Danish Nonius, the possessor of it, who,
however. escaped with his opal. This
curious Mexican opal has its traditions
as being historically known since the
sixteenth century.
The largest pearl known is another of
the ~rarities of the collection, two inches
long, pear-shaped, of an opaline tint.
mounted as a pendant to an arched
crown Of enamel, rubies, emeralds,
sapphires and hrilliants. Interesting as
a specimen of glyptic work is adiamond
cut in the form of a cross, which is said
to be unique. There is also a cross
formed of six rare brilliant green dia-
monds, and another anomaly of the kind
is a white ruby. The sword hilt of King
Murat, made Of a large aquamarine cut
in facets, with various Jewels studded
about the gold cross piece, is another
curiosity in this remarkable collection.
London Times.