The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-05-31

THE SALT
whose value exceeds 100000 of forms.
The finest gems in this crown, remark
able in size, brilliancy and polish, were
part of the private Jewels of the EN-
press Marie Theresa.
In the Order of the Golden Fleece a
decoration composed of 80 diamonds
of great beauty, is the Frankfort soil
taire, gem of the first water, weigh
ing forty-two carats, which was pur-
chased by the Emperor Francis 1 at
Frankfort. Several other decorations
of the Golden Fleece are also worthy
of notice, one among. them in particu-
lar, containing seven brilliants weigh
ing in the aggregate over eighty-nine
carats, while still others have large
topaZes, hyacinths, garnets and chry-
SoliteS clustered around with diamonds.
A grand cross of the military order of
Maria Theresa contains a rose Colored
brilliant of twenty-six and one-eighth
carats, a complete parure of rubies,
consisting of tiara a girdle, necklace,
a pair of ear rings and a watch is in
teresting because of the fine quality
of the gems, and also because it for
merly belonged to the Inflated Marie
Antoinette Queen of France.
Here is preserved the rose necklace of
Maria Theresa comprising thirteen rose
brflliants, large sized brilliants filling
the centerS and eleven pendeloques set
with large solitaire brilliants of won
derful beauty. The famous Florentine
diamond one of the largest diamonds
known. actually fills the trivial role of
a hat button in the midst of this be-
wildering display. 1t weighs 1913 1-3
carats, is sherry cofored, and is SO cut
as to form a star with nine rays. The
stone was once the property of Charles
the Bold of Burgundy, who used to
carry it into battle with him as a tails
man. He lost it at the battle Of Morat
in 1476, and after many changes of
ownership and a lapse of over 800
years. it came into the Austrian treas
ury through the marriage of the Duke
of Tuscany with Marie Theresa. But
tons for coats, waistcoats and hats are
formed each one or more of magnifi-
cent topaZes set around with brilliantS.
A large hyacinth weighing 416 carats is
fashioned into the body of an eagle. and
a set of pearl necklaces and bracelets
contain over $50 pearls of varying size,
some very large and fine. This fault
less collection reflects the taste and
Judgment of Maria Theresa.
JEWELS OF THE ROYAL SAXON
FAMILY.
Tha famous Green Vaults of Dresden
contain the jewels of the royal Saxon
family from earliest times, and are one
OF the most wonderful treasure houses
in the world The name Green Vaults
has baffied explanation, but in the alb
sence of positive proof of any kind 1T
seems that the name was given because
of the original color of one of the
vaulted chambers. This celebrated col
lection was begun in 1889, but it was
not until the reign Of the Elector Au-
gustus in the second half of that cen
fury that any great addition was made
to the treasures. The work which the
Elector commenced was completed by
Augustus the Strong, whose taste for
the fine arts was cultivated by travel
and study. Here are to be seen Won
derfully artistic vases, groups, figures
and objects Of the renowned jeweler
Dinglinger, and other skilled artisans of
the latter part of the seventeenth CEN
fury and the early part of the eigh-
teenth. Many of these are made of cur
ious, odd shaped pearls set and orna-
mented as only Dinglinger and other
great jewelers. were capable of orna-
menting them.
The crown jewels of the jewel room
consist of six or eight different sets, of
the first class, and are not to be sur
passed in all Europe Most of the
gems, including the famous green dia-
mond. were purchased during the reign
of Augustus II and Ill This unique
green brilliant weighs forty and one
half carats. and is in close proximity
in the case to yellow and pink brilliants
scarcely less remarkable in size and
splendor.
A garniture of rose diamonds, FORM
ing part Of these crown jewels, consists
of thirty waistcoat buttons, thirty coat
buttons. four shoe and knee buckles.
clasp carrying rose of twenty-six and
seven-eighths grains, an epaulet with
diamond of sixteen and five-eighths
grains, and a sword, the hilt Of which
sparkles with $50 roses. The largest
Bohemian garnet in Europe, forty-six
and three-fourths carats in weight.
adorns one of the orders of the Golden
Fleece here exhibited. Quite noticea-
bic. even among the glitter of the
brilliants, is the soft and glossy sheen
CT eight strings of pearls near by four
OF which came from the pearl fishery
of the Elster, a Saxon river, which
has been fostered by the Saxon crown
since 1910, and four from Oriental wa
tiers. Two rings, said to belong
to Martin Luther, the great reformer.
though plain, are fully as interesting
as the more costly mementoes of row.
atty.