National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-02-10
A DIAMOND DEALERS sroRY.
The $4,000 Necklace Shown to n News
gatherer with $40, 900 Worth Besides.


Alvin Patton, the Cincinnati diamond
merchant, has been dazzling the eyes of
Neutrality-suspicious. for some time past with
his rich wares. lie was seen last evening
by reporter for the NATIONAL REPUBLI-
CAN. Mr.. Patton showed the reporter the
much discussed diamond necklace contain
ing forty-one diamonds, the largest, seven
carats,in the middle, the next two six carats
each, and graduated down TO one carat and
q half, being the last diamond on each side.
They are all fine, white, old minestones-
some from India, but most from Brazil
countries which give us but few diamonds
in our day. The necklace, therefore,
weighed 400 carats, and the dealer estimated
II at $4,000.
Mr.. Patton always has more orders tina
he can fill for diamonds Of a special kind to
match others. They cannot be bought in
the market, but are only obtained by con-
tinual seeking.
"Washington is one of the greatest places
/ have ever struek,m said Mr.. Patton, "es-
pecially this year. They have turned Wash.
ington into the universal winter resort, and
these receptions and parties lead the ladies
to concern themselves greatly with orna-
mcnt. | sold an $ll, 900 diamond and set
ting the other day to Mrs. Arnot, Of Elmira.
She has very fine diamonds She has an old
pin with one hundred diamonds In II. Her
husband bought of me star with fifty dla-
monds--a star In the center and the dia-
monds stretched along q bar Arnot is
member Of Congress and a bright fellow.
lie was rather a stranger to me, and when
j showed him the pin he said Il Will play
you game Of cards for that. What is your
favorite gamer | said to him; My only
game OF cards is euchre, and j accept your
proposition. l will play you for the PIN
He seemed to be little surprised that a
man in trade would take the same chance
that he did as gentleman, and he said to
the hotel man: That man is very genteel
fellow. lie Will take an even chauce with
you.' So he bought the star pin Of me.
Mrs. Leland Stanford has the largest collec-
ton of diamonds on this side Of the Allan
| tic. They are valued at 500, 000.n
Mr.. Patton estimates the diamondsin the
| United States at 100000. The costliest
diamond is that owned by Mrs. L. d. Nor
gan, widow of Gov. Morgan, of New York.
| 1t weighs twenty-five carats, and has been
offered for sale for 1885, 00
"What is the great field now for dia-
monds ~
"The African field back of Cape Natal
| There, It Is said, Humboldt passed over,
many year ago, and left the sign up ::
Diamonds may be found here They are
found in the bed OF what was once river,
between cliffs. There is no such word as
diamond known IN the trade for the article
in nature. The word used for diamonds in
the rough Is bort. 1t is a Dutch word.
The rough diamond looks like a piece Of
alum with little glazing about it. 1t is
harder on the outside than within, and
seems to have a core like knot in piece
Of very fine wood, which is softer than the
outer circles Of the wood. Sometimes it
is impossible to cut a diamond Of great
promise because there is a hard place
within It. The art of cutting the diamond
is one of long practice, and requires the
exercise Of economy and taste as well as
mechanism. 1t is nearly pure carbon. Its
origin i5 wholly a matter Of guess. 1t Is as
ultimate thing almost as gold, or any
other metal or element. 1t is the hardest
thing in nature.n
"Ilave any diamonds been found In the
United StatesP'
"No; nor any precious gems whatever
The best we have is the garnet, which Il
not strictya gem, and even our garnets arr
inferior.n
Mr.. Tappan drew out of his pockets whllt
talking diamonds valued at $4,000.