Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1902-03-07
JEWELS IN AMERICA.
Rare Gems That are Worn by the Women
of the United States.

The complete splendor of such Jewels
as those stolen from the Burdens is
revealed only on the rare occasions OF
fancy dress balls. These occur once
in a decade or SO; indeed, there have
been but two that will hold for all time
a place in New York' g social history
that given in 1883, at her residence at
Fifty second street and Fifth avenue,
by Mrs. William K. Vanderbilt, now
Mrs. o. H. 2. Belmont, and the one
given by Mrs. Bradley Martin four
teen years later at the Waldorf. The
latter gorgeous and spectacular func-
tion was so denounced from the pulpit
for its display of riches and extravag-
ance-several clerical gentlemen even
terming it an incentive to anarchy
that probably it will be many day be-
fore we shall again have the four hun
dred arrayed in such purple and fine
lined.
Fine linen, did say? Why, the field
of the cloth of gold, arranged by the
pauper, Francis l., should be stricken
in shame from the annals of France.
On such occasions .as these many
women, viewed from the front appear
to be solidly armored in diamonds or
pearls; others, as Joan of Arc, are
clothed with cuirass, helmet and
gauntlets of solid silver; still others,
at loss for novelty, jingle with cover
ings of gold coins; heavy bands of
gold winn around waists and wrists,
and twine about bare arms from wrist
to shoulder; jeweled Tyre birds, pleas
ants and peacocks CLEAN gorgeously in
many coiffures; gowns are embroidered
almost to the hips with a dazzling
glitter of all known precious stones;
giant girdles and great ropes of dia-
monds and priceless pearls are tossed
about in the movement of the dance;
diamonds and pearls glittering every
where, at throat, on the buckles of
dainty shoes, covering sleeves in per-
feet network, tipping the thousand
stringed fringe of scarf; while hum
dred women wear, not unbecomiugly,
crowns of diamonds that only one
European empress might not envy
$20, 900, 900 in precious stones brought
together on single evening to make
binding the beauty of these queens of
American society.
You think the amount exaggerated?
Mrs. John Jacob Astor, third. fire.
quently wore $3.50, 900 worth of jewels
at an ordinary reception, and Mrs. w.
K. Vanderbilt fully $5O,O00 at mere
garden party.-Pearl necklaces alone
worth $4,000 to 100000 are not un-
one that cost $220 900 being
occasionally seen, and more than one
woman has 81, ,OOO,0 in gems from
which to choose.
The average annual importation of
precious stones into the United States
has for long time been about SIS,
900, ,OOO-Thus during only the past ten
years we have received O,000,0 900 in
gems. A diamond importer Informed
me that of this amount One-half is
held by dealers throughout the coun-
try, and that of the remainder fully
two thirds have been sold to families
and individuals in New York. This
that in the past ten years New
Workers have bought 10000, 900 worth
of precious stones, this sum not includ-
ing the cost of their setting. A gem
expert of prominent company says
that in the entire country the dia
monds alone are valued at $500, ,000, 900,
and that of this amount $l7O,00O,0OO
worth are owned in New York.
Ainslee's Magazine.