Evening star., 1902-08-05
ALL AMERICAN GEMS
PRESENTED TO FRENCH MUSEUM
OF NATURAL HISTORY.
Gift Made BY J. Pierpont Morgan
Precious Stones Collected by
George r. Kunz-

From the New York Tribune.
Fun particulars are now at hand OF the
exceedingly valuable Pan-American collec-
tion of gems and precious stones presented
recently by J. Pierpont Morgan to the min
eralogical department OF the Musee d'His-
toire Naturelle, In Paris. known more IA
miliarly the Jardin des Plantes. Tho
commercial value of the collection is repre-
sented by FIVE figures
The history Of the collection Is interesting
DR.. David T. Day. chief of the department
of mines of the Buffalo Pan-American expo
sition, invited George f. Kunz. the gem ex-
pert of Tiffany & Co., to prepare a collec-
| tion to fill a large octagonal space in the
| palace Of mines. As there were no funds
for the purpose. Mr.. Kunz suggested TO
Tiffany & Co. to sustain such a collection,
which they did. and there was gathered the
best collection that could be got together Of
Pan-American gems and precious stones
The catalogue contains more than four hun
dred numbers. but often a single number
means from one to a dozen specimens. \
great many are unique and handsome. and
wherever II was possible the bes: cut gems
were obtained to show the contrast between
| the rough and the cut material In many
| Instances where there was variety of col
or, every possible shade was represented.
Able Hauy's Gems.
| The meteorological department of the Mu-
see d'Histore Naturelle has been presided
| over in the last century by some of the
| most eminent men in France. One of tho
first directors was Daubeton, appointed by
| the original French assembly before the
| first empire. There Is no more classic col
lection In Europe, as It contains the collec-
| ton OF Abbe Hauy, the father of crystalloy-
raphy. The department has been presided
over by such men as Daubree and Deslci-
seaux, and at present the directors chair Is
l
| studying volcanic action at Martinique for
| the French government
| The meteorological department Of the Mu-
| see dHistoire Naturelle," said Mr. Kunz
| although so rich in foreign minerals and
gems. was noticeabIy deficient in American
| gems when the Tiffany collection of pre-
cious stones were shown at the Paris expo
! sittons OF 1889 and 1900, and which were
bought by j. Pierpont Morgan and given by
MIN to the American Museum of Natural
| history. This deficiency was realized at the
@ oiine' II was not TO be wondered at. how
| ever, as American precious stones have only
| peen developed in the last twenty years.
Mr.. Morgan's Gift.
AT the last. exposition the director of
the department said that If any American
saw fit to present such things to a museum.
| there was no foreign museum where they
! would be more appreciated or seen by great
er numbers Of people than at the Musee
| d d'Histotre Naturelle, not excepting the
| great British Museum. 1t was thought that
perhaps dozen or more gems might be
presented to the Institution, and YOU can
Imagine the surprise and delight with
| which such magnificent collection as that
| purchased by Mr.. Morgan was received
Inc directors sent special letter of thanks
| 10 MT Morgan for his generosity. Two fine
| cases were ordered to contain the collection
and to be placed on either side of the
main entrance.
| This collection will be in admirable COM
| There in ha
| d'Histoire Naturelle the famous sapphire,
weighing hundreds of carats which some
| scientist cut into rhombohedron of fault
less color. In order more carefully TO study
| Its optical properties. There are great cups
| of rock crystal. which date from the time
| OF Louis XIV and Louis XIV. and there is
scarcely case without many gems equally
classic, not to mention the great collection
| of Able Hauy."
Jewels From Everywhere
Among the gems and precious stones IN
| the collection purchased by Mr. Morgan
may be mentioned sapphires and ruby crys-
| tails from Rock Creek Mont; jadeite, Aztec,
| from the Valley of Mexico; amethyst crys-
tals from Brazil: tourmalines from San
Diego county, Cal; jadeite. serpent with
eleven beads. from central Mexico; tur-
quoise charms from New Mexico; garnet
grains found on Fort Hills, Navajo nation.
New Mexico: tourmaline in matrix, Mount
Mica, Paris, Me- agate from Lorimer
county, Col; quartz, inclosing tourmaline
from Pipestone Creek, Mont; cha!cedony
from Haystack, Ore; chrysoprase from
Nlsalia, Cal; agate, with two eyes from
erusnay; amethyst, inclosing tourmaline.
from Pipestone Creek, Mont. barite with
gold, from Chile; moss opals from Yucatan
near Puerto Principe, Cuba: quartz CRYSTALS
from Little Falls, Herkimer county, y. Y;
roSe-colored beryl from Haddam Neck
Conn; pink tourmaline crystals and white
tourmaline crystals from Mesa Grande San
Diego county, Cal; pectolite from Bergen
Hill, N j.; ruby in limestone from Vernon,
n j.; geode agates containing water, from
Uruguay; turQuoises from Los Cerrillos n
NJ: hydrophane and fire opal from Quere-
taro, Mexico; amethyst, in agate polished
slab, from Uruguay; obsidian mask from
the Valley of Mexico, Mexico: rose ouartZ
from Custer City. S. d.; rose-colored chaI-
cedony from Rincon, n. NJ; agate pebbles
from Twin Harbor, Mimi; emeralds from
Crabtree mountain, Mitchell county y. C:
lapis lazuli from the Andes mountains.
Chile; turquoise ornaments from Santo Do
mingo, n. M; amethyst from Amherst
county, Va, and Paterson. ". j.; water
bubble stone from Uruguay; hydrolite chal-
cedony, containing water. from Uruguay:
sapphrine chalcedony from Kern county
Cal; yellow opals from Douglas county,
wash; pink aiabaster from Kent county
Mich; rough moonstones from East Marion
Long Island; obsidian lip ornaments from
the Valley of Mexico, Mexico; amethyst
and smoky quartz from Clear Creek Mont:
yellow garnets from Wakefield. Que. golden
beryls from Coosa county, Ala; sea green
beryls from Antlers. Col; five wine-colored
topaZes from Deseret, Utah; precious opals
found near Colfax. Wash; aquamarines
from Spruce Pine n. c.; rose quartz from
wyoming; an emerald matrix from Crab
Tree mountains, North Carolina, and an
amethyst heart from Clayton, Ga.
A Grotto of Amethysts.
There is also a grotto of amethysts, a
miniature cave, with lining of massive
agate, which can be Illuminated by electric
light large polished and perfect sphere
of rock crystal is seven and one-eighth
inches in diameter. A great many of the
single gems are worth hundreds of dollars
Tiffany & Co. kept the entire collection
together after 1t was exhibited at Buffalo.
and refused all offers until Mr.. Morgan