The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-07-05
PASTE JEWELS IN THE CROWN.
King Edward Intends to Hire Genuins
Ones for the Coronation.

0neS Tor the coronation.
After examining the crown regalia
two diamond experts have pronounced
nearly half the gems spurious. incIud-
ing almost all the large ones. This cor
roborates the reports in various me-
noirs that the two immediate predeees-
sors Of Queen Victoria resorted TO the
expedient of selling or payning the
crown jewels in financial emergencies.
The utmost secrecy is maintained
ebout the royal crowns 10 be worn at the
coronation festivities. No one has been
permitted to see them, and it is said
that the King has given orders thet the
Imitation gems shall be replaced for the
occasion by real ones On hire
Diamonds AM emeralds viii be the
jewels principally worn at the corona
ton More than helf Of them viii be
hired from West End Partisan jewelers..
who charge > per cent of their value for
one days wear the hirer also paying
insurance But vast quantity OF paste
will also be wcrn- No shcpkeepers have
done a larger business over the corona
tion than the imitation Jewellery people.
One firm says 1t has an order from
countess for an exact replica of the
Duchess of MarIborough's famous Van
derbilt pearls to cost over $500 and be
indistInguisbabIe from the real ones ex-
cept by an expert This is rather
foolish proceeding on the part Of the
countess. as IL is known she could not
0osSihIv- aHo~d real GEMS
Coronets OF paste brilliaEts VIII also
be much worn.
The notion hat the peers are spend
ing big sums in getting robes of the
best materials is q myth, as was sadly
confessed recently by one of the leading
taiiors OF London He said that some
very wealthy peers and newly created
ones are going in for the most elabo-
rate and costly style Of coronation nil
lineTy. but the bulk Of the peerage have
ordered the cheapest stuffs and furs.
He showed the correspondent the two
extremes OF cost and frugality IN &
baTOn'S robe OF he best Lyons velvet,
lined with the finest white satin, with
cape and trimmings Of real ermine.
costing altogetbeT> S655. and another
similar robe Of sateen, with cape and
trimmings OF rabbit skin, costing SAT all
told.
He aveTred that six out Of every ten
robes will be Of the latter type. and at
ten yards distance the difference is
noticeable unless q ray Of sun
shine strikes the robes, when veIveteen
Is exposed
A large number of peers are hiring
robes from theatrical eostumers. who
charge from $50 10 500, according 10
quality. An order for robes from a tall
CT IS almost Invariably accompanied
with Instructions that the materials
shall be cut 50 that they can be utilized
afterward fer dress or mantle by the
peers wife OF daughter.
One of the queerest figures at the
coronation ceremony viii be the ola
Marquis OF CIaaricarde, who is credited
with making his own clothes for the
sake of ecoGony- He intends to don the
robes worn by his grandfather at Queen
FictoTia's coronation The robes being
much moth-eaten, he has patched them
with new Stuff and fur with his own
hands He declares that he viii go in
an ordinary cab and would not incur
even that expense If he believed he
could get through the streets afoot
without being usolested.-London Core
spondent New York World.