The Portland daily press., 1886-06-08
THE HOPE JEWELS.
A Wonderful Collection of Diamonds
Sapphires, opaIs and Pearls.
London Times.


The collectio of Jewels and precious
stones formed by the late Mr.. Henry Philip
Hope, the greater portion of which is to be
sold at Christie's, is one of remarkable inter-
est, chiefly on account of the famous blue
diamond which more than half century
back was known as the Hope diamond, hav-
ing come into the possession of Mr.. Henry
Thomas Hope Of Amsterdam, in London.
This extremely rare gem, however, which
was the rival of the Kohinoor 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 or azure fire shines out in
the lovely sapphire known historically as
lie Saphir Merveilleux," upon which Nine:
belonged to Philippe Egalite, Due d Orleans.
In color this beautiful stone, which is five
eighths of an inch octagon set round with
small brilliants as ring, is even rlcner and
softer in its tone than the blue diamond, but
less fierce in its luStre. Its weight is "a
grains; not large, therefore, since there is
one at Ava of 951 carats, and the one in the
collection of the Jardin des Plantes weighs
1872 1-16 carats, without flaw, which was
found by a poor Bengalee, afterward pur--
chased by one Mr., Ruspoli of Rome, and
eventually came to Paris jewel merchant
for 10000 francs.
Another interesting jewel is the King of
Candy's cat's-eye the largest known, being
an inch and half in diameter and hemi-
spherical, mounted in the original Oriental
setting of gold studded with rubies cut en-
cdbochon Its color cannot be better de-
scribed than by its resemblance to the glis-
tening green and tawny yellow OF the cruel
cat's-eye is in the changing streak or, ray of
silvery light, and this it is that led the Gin
galese to fancy that it held genie who
could protect against witchcraft, so that they
prize with superstitious veneration these
specimens in the collection, and one of the
gold cat's-eyes known to mineralogists as
crocidolite.
Of the opals there are some fine specimens,
both of the Hungarian, which are the best,
and of the Mexicans, which are softer and
more porous. A beautiful ornament formed
of these gems is most appropriately formed
like chameleon, with the creatures back
studded all over with opals of changing iri-
descence This is an exceedingly fine exam
pie of the art of the j0Gilli0r of the seven
teenth century, in gold and enamel work.
Another very interesting opal is the Mex
ican sun OPAL" so called from having the
head of the sun god carved upon it. This is
an inch long and nearly the same IN width,
and the carving seemsito be barbaric and not
antique Roman, or we might fancy 1t was
the opal of historic celebrity which was COW
eted by Marc Anthony, and led him to ban
ish Nonius, the possessor OF 1t, who, hoWev-
er escaped with his opal. This curious Mex
lean opal has had its traditions as being his
toricaily 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
rubies, emeralds sapphires, and brilliants.
Interesting as specimen of glyptic work is
a diamond cut in the form of a cross, which
is said to be unique. There is also a cross
formed of six rare brilliant green diamonds,
ruby The sword hflt of King Murat, made
of large aquamarine cut in facets, with va
rious jewels studded about the gold cross
piece, is another curiosity in this remarka-
collection.