Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1890-06-07
A Throne of Gold and Gems.

Inc peacock Throne OF Delhi"
(Which for many years has been in
Teheran, the capital of Persia) is the
most respondent and costly seat ever
occupied by monarch. 1t was con-
structed by the celebrated Shah Je-
han, the Mogul emperor who reigned
from 1927 to 1867. He was the favo-
rite son of the emperor Selim who
took the title of Jehanghir, or Soon
queror of the World,p and his moth
err was the renowned Nourmahal,
"The Light of the Harep." Shah
Jehan was monarch of magnificent
tastes, and the Peacock Throne was
his favorite achievement in the man.
Hesitation Of his barbaric sumptuous.
ness. Tavernier, the celebrated
French traveller in India, who was
an expert in gems and jewelers.
work, made close examination of
this magnificent creation OF Oriental
art soon after it was completed, and
gave the following description of it.
The Peacock Throne is nearly of
the form and size of our camp beds;
that is about six feet long and four
feel wide. Upon the four feet,
which are very massive, and from
twenty to twenty-five inches high,
} are fixed the four bars which support
the base of the throne, and upon
these bars are raised twelve columns,
: which sustain the canopy on three
sides, there not being any on that
| side which faces the court. Both the
feet and the bars, which are more
than eighteen inches long, are COW
l cred with gold, inlaid and enriched
g with numerous diamonds, rubies and
/ emeralds. In the middle of each ba-
there is a large balas-ruby en- cdbo-
chOn, (polished but not cut,) with
e four emeralds round it, which form a
! square cross. Next in succession,
t from one side to the other the length
J, of the bars, there are similar crosses,
), arranged so that in one the ruby is in
= the middle Of four emeralds, and in
j. another the emerald is in the middle
n and four balas-rubies surround it.
u / counted the large balas-rubies on
l. the great throne, and there are about
d one hundred and eight, all c06o
a chonS, the least of which weighs one
IT hundred carats, but there are some
u which weigh, apparently, two hun
h dred and more. AS for the emeralds
If there are plenty of good color, bu
e they have many flaws; the larges
may weight sixty and the least thirty
n carats. | counted about one hundred
and sixteen.
The underside of the canopy is GOV
b cred with diamonds and pearls, witt
= fringe Of pearls all round ant
10 above the canopy, which is quad
II rangular shaped dome, there is to b
seen a peacock, with elevated tail
81 made of blue sapphires, and othe
colOred stones, the body being c
d. gold, inlaid with precious stone:
90 having a large ruby in front of tn
~ breast, from which hangs a pearshaI
y, ed pearl of fifty carats or Whereabouts
=. and of a somewhat yellow water
On both sides of the peacock is
-, large bouquet of the same height q
- the bird, and consisting Of man
W kinds of flowers made Of gold inlai
~ with precious stones. On the side {
:, the thorne which is opposite tn
court is to be seen a jewel consis
!, ing of a diamond Of from eighty
;. ninety carats weight, with rubit
49, and emeralds round it.
- But that which, in my opinion,
- the most costly thing about this MAJ
W nificent throne is that the lively
IS. columns supporting the canopy al
al surrounded with beautiful rows
q. pearls, which are round and of fl
W water, and weigh from six to eigl
~ carats each.
~ Tavernier says the throne was rep
-. ted to have cost about 100000
a. of our money. .Bernier reduces tn
no to twenty-five million five hundrt
thousand dallars, and Mr.. S. G. V
Benjamin, in volume on persia"
the "Story of the Nations" series,
about thirteen million dollars. \
RS, doubt it has been subject to ceasele
nd dilapidation from the time of its con
tut pletion by Shah Jehan but eve
nd now it remains the grandest object
n Il I 4