The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-12
Intrinsic Values Range From n Far.
thing to 100000, an Ounce.

One of the most remarkable of many
lmost interesting facts relating to roya!
| crowns is that, while some of them would
! be intrinsically dear at farhfng an
| ounce it would be a profitable Investment
| to purchase others for $45, 900 or $4,000 an
an ounce, simply for the gems that are in
crusted on them.
The oldest and certainly one OF the most
historically interesting crowns in Europe
| is the famous iron crown OF Lombardy,
whose intrinsic value may be dismissed
| as beneath notice, and which is so small
that it could not be worn by any but
very small child, for whom, indeed. II
would be much too heavy for comfort.
The crown of Roumania had no more
distinguished origin or material than
| few pieces of an old cannon captured at
| the Siege of, Plevna, and, as old iron,
would certainly only realize a few pence
Between these intrinsically valueiess
| crowns and those at the opposite end of
| the scale of values there is very wide
gulf for the crown o1Portugal, which
has the reputation of being by far the
| mcst costly in Europe, is valued at S.
| 100000, or thousands of times its weight
| in pure gold.
Probably the next place in the scale of
values is occupied by the deliberately
| beautiful and costly crown made for the
| coronation of our late Queen, and which
will be used in the coronation of King
Edward VII With its circlet, crosses.
| deur-de-lys, arches, and mound, thickIy
incrusted with rare jewels, 1t is perhaps
the most stately and imposing If not the
| most beautiful crown In the world.
In the Maltese cross blaZeS the magniE
| cent ruby given to Edward the Black
| Prince by Pedro the Cruel after the vic
| tory of Najera, nearly five and half
centuries ago, and which was actually
worn by Henry Y at the battle of Agin-
court. and much older and more historic
ally valuable still is the beautiful sap
| phire which, according to legend, once
flashed on the finger of Edward the CSn-
fessor.
In addition to these historic gems there
are 3,G92 other rare and carefully chosen
| jewels. chiefly taken from older crowns,
and including no fewer than 2,7S4 dis
monds. The cap Is OF violet velvet mot
of crimson or purple, as in all the earlier
crowns) with a lining of white silk and
| border of ermine.
This stately crown weighs two pounds
seven ounces which, although too much
| for comfort in wearing. is certainly less
| than might he imagined from its appear
ance and composition.
1t is interesting to contrast this sumptu-
Gus crown with the plain circlet, height
ened with four spikes worn by the first
with the maI1y-arched crown worn by the
Stuart kings, which. although II weighed
seven pounds six ounces. was only valued
at e1.ll0, or (without taking into account
the different value of money! much less
than one-three- hundredth part of the val
ne of King Edwards crown No fewer
than four crowns will make their appear
ance at the coming coronation, two of
which will be used in the act of browning
the King and Queen, while the other two
win be worn during the following service.
The palm of the most beautiful of all
European crowns is awarded to that of
Denmark, which is an exquiaite produc-
ton of art. marked as much by simplicity
of form as by delicate workmanship. The
| leaves which surround the circlet are out
| lined and veined by precious stones, while
a single gem of great beauty blazes from
| the centre of each leaf. b
Compared with this beautiful crown
| that of the German Emperors. with its
| tumble of eagles and hoops crosses and
| globe, is cumhrous and inartistic, al
| though of considerable intrinsic value;
while the crown of the Gear. with its Gu
| rious resemblance to a bishops mitre, its
matchless cross of ruby and diamonds,
and its gorgeous sapphire, is more impos-
| ing. If much less artistic
1t Is curious and Interesting fact that
| the most valuable stone in many of the
| crowns of Europe lisa sapphire; indeed. it
| would probably be impossible to match
| for beauty and puffy the sapphires in
the crowns of Russia. Austria and Hun
gary; while the finest ruby in the world,
| a-stone of HAWKES. beauty and as large al
| a small hens egg. blaZes from the top of
| the Shah's magnificent, If eccentric,
crown.
No crown is more jealousy guarded
| than that of Hungary, over which armed
| watch is kept day and night in the strong
| hold of Buda. The crown Is the object of
so much veneration that no man Is CON
sidered King until he has worn 1t; and thc
stories of its mysterious disappearance
and recoveries are among the most cap
| tiVating romances of Europe.