, 1896-07-01
JEWELS OF THE SHAH.
The Richest Collection Known Today
in the World.

The finest collection of jewels in tn,
world is that which the late shah o,
Persia possessed, says the New Yori
Journal. Ordinary people estimate
their wealth in diamonds in carats, but
this oriental might have figured his by
the pound. 1t is almost impossible tc
put a value upon them, but the lowest
estimates appraise them at between
SIS, 900, 900 and 500, OOO, 900. They will
now become the property of the shah's
successor.
There is the kaianian crown, shaped
like a flower pot with the small end
open and the other closed. At the top
is set perhaps the greatest ruby in the
world, an uncut, absolutely fawless
gem as large as a hens egg.
OF gauntlets and belts the shah's
store was vast and every one was
adorned and covered with diamonds
and pearls of surprising value. The
Kaianian belt is the handsomest of
NHN~> "a ai' - Il lool II
width. The dazzling mass of diamonds,
pearls and emeralds which incrusts il
weighs nearly eighteen pounds. There
are drinking bowels galore, each thick
ly studded with gems; swords one or
two of which have jewled hits worth
81 ,25O, 900 apiece; epaulets of diamonds
and armlets so contrived that the bril-
liants revolve and keep up an ever
changing and dazzling condition. There
are garments and robes, too, so thick
ly crusted with jewels as to hide the
fabric beneath and in the ruler of Per-
sia's Golfers lie tray after tray of pearl,
ruby and emerald necklaces and dia-
mond, ruby and turquoise rings by the
hundred.
But the gem of this collection of
gems is the famous Darya-iNur, or Sea
Of Light, the sister diamond to the
trophy which England gained from the
Punjab in 1850. the Koh-i-Noor. The
Sea Of Light weighs so carats more
than the Indian gem. 1t is an inch and
a half long, an inch broad and three
eighths of an inch thick. The inscrip-
ton of Faith Ali Shah's name on one
side reduces the value of the stone in
calcuably. 1t is not very brilliant, but
it has a %wondrous history, dating back
to 5000 B.. c., of which how much is
fact and how much romance no man
can tell.
Among the rings is one in which
sparkles the famous Pitt diamond, sent
by George ". to Faith Ali Shah. Sir H.
mat, used to tell the story of the ac-
ceptance Of the gift. A Persian noble
man had been sent from Teheran to Sir
Hartford Jones to stop him from going
there, the French influence being all
powerful at that time. Sir Hartford
argued in vain with the Persian khan,
said: well. if it must be so, l will re-
turn to M country and give up the
hope OF making my countenance while
in the presence of the shah. But this
must return with me-" and he drew the
ring from his waist coat pocket.
The khan was breathless with pleas
ed surprise for a moment, then shout
ed: stop! stop. elchi! May your o n
discerning kindness increase! This al
ters the matter. l will dispatch a mes
sage to the Notwithstanding thres-
hold of the asylum of the world. l
swear by your head you will be receiv-
ed with all honor. Mashallah! 1t is
not every one that has diamonds like
the 1nglis." The result was that Sir
Hartford Jones entered Teheran by one
gate as General Gardaune, the French
representative, made a hasty and has
tened exit by the other.
There is yet another enormous dia-
mond in this ~stupendous collection, the
Taj-f-Huma, or Diadem Of the Phenix,
which is as big as the top of a mans
thumb. There are %sapphires as big as
marbles and many rubies and pearls
the size OF nuts and more than 100
emeralds from half an inch square to
an inch and th%ree-quarters lolng and
ar inch broad. Besides the largest
turquoise in the world about four in
ches long, there is another Of unique
beauty, perfect in color, three-quarters
Of an inch long and three-eighths of an
inch broad. In the sword scabbard
which is covered with diamonds there
Is not a single stone smaller than the
nail of a mans little finger.
Another remarkable jewel is an en-
erald the size Of a walnut, covered with
the names OF kings who have possess
ed it.