Sharp County record., 1888-08-23
PRECIOUS STONES.
Brilliants Worth Millions Owned by Amerl-
can ConnOisseurs.

y and II, 1886, when the famous col
lection formed by the late Henry Phil
lip Hope, and exhibited at the South
KensingtOn Museum for many years,
was sold at auction. The Hope collec-
tion included the sapphire merveilleaux
of Nine de Genlis' Tales of the Cas-
tle;" the king of candy's cats eye, the
largest known, having diameter of
an inch and half; the Mexican sun
opal, carved with the head of a Mexi-
can sun god, and historically krOwn
since the sixteenth century; an enOr-
nous pearl, the largest known, weigh
ing three ounces and two inches in
length; the aquamarine sword hilt
made by Murat, King Of Naples, and
also many curious diamonds sap
phires, emeralds and several hun
dred unique and magnificent gems.
Such a collection should be preserved
intact as a National possession. In
1886 it was decided by the French AS
sembly that the crown jewels, with the
exception Of the famous Regent dia-
mond, two of the mazarines, and few
historic pieces reserved for the ma
tional museums, should be sold at pub
lie auction. These exceptions were
made because it was feared that they
would fall into the hands of the Amer
leans. The sale of this great historic
collection took place in May, 1887.
The As parcels were subdivided into
146 lots, and there were 6S buyers, Y
of whom bought over | 1000, 600 francs
worth each. The largest lot, the great
cOrsage, which sold for $1,000 francs,
was purchased by single American
firm, the largest buyer in the sale.
The purchase Of the firm amounted to
2,250, 600 francs, or about 81 per cent.
of the entire sum realized, while as to
quality, the same firm obtained more
than twO-thirds of the finest gems.
Among them were the three mazar-
ines; a pear-shaped rose brilliant,
weighing a 27-32 carats, for
12S,OO0 francs; a pear-shaped
white brilliant, weighing 22f carats,
fOr $1,000 francs; white brilliant,
weighing % ZIG carats, for 1856
francs and an oval brilliant, weigh
ing IS 1872 carats, for 1000 francs, or
435, 600 francs for the four. All but
one of their purchases were secured
by private American customers. The
great interest attached to this sale was
due not only to the fact that many Of
the gems were of very fine quality,
but also to their historic associations.
The history of many of them could be
traced back several hundred years, In
its way this sale did more than any
thing that had before occurred to es-
tablish a reputation abroad for Ameri-
can taste, wealth and enterprise. The
collection of antique gems, numbering
33l pieces, formed by Rev. G. W.
King, of Trinity College, England, the
greatest of all writer's on engraved
gems, was sent to the United States
for sale in 1881. This collection
represents the keystone and the sum-
ming up of Mr.. King vast knowledge,
and none has ever been more thorough
ly studied. His numerous writings
mark an epoch in the study of this
branch of archaeology, and only the
loss of his sight led him to part with
his treasures. The growing interest
and taste in archaeological matters in
the United States induced him to send
it here to be sold intact, In October,
1881, through the friendly mediation OF
Mr.. Feuardent, it was purchased and
presented to the Metropolitan Museum
of Art by Mr. John Taylor johnson,
then president Of the museum, where
it has since rcposed. Near it will be
placed the Somerville collection. Mr..
Somerville, Virginian by birth, and
Il gentleman Of fortune and artistic
tastes, while spending the past thirty
two years Of his life in Europe, Asia
and Africa, has collected canoes, in
taglios, seals and other historical
gems; and, as a result Of his liberal
expenditures of time and money, he is
to-day the owner Of one of the most
unique and valuable collections of en-
craven gems in the world, num-
bering over fifteen hundred spec
linens, including Egyptian, Per-
sian, Babylonian, Ehuscan, Greek,
Roman, Aztec and Mexican
glyptic or jewel-calving art. All of
these are represented by specimens of
singular excellence, atfording us pan
oramic view of the achievements of
civilized men in this direction. OF
greater antiquity and arch@ologic
value, because representing a period
before gems were cut in the form of
intaglios, is the collection of Rev. W.
Hayes Ward, consisting of three hun
dred Babylonian, Persian and other
cylinders. Two hundred of these he
himself collected in Babylon and its
vicinity, and sold to the museum at
normal figure. Since that time he has
collected one hundred more cylinders.