The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-09
SHAH OF PERSIA'S THRONE
 VALUED AT $20,OOO,OOO

full Empress of Ethiopia, and the Jewish mcnareh summoned her to his court, wherein he had erranged many devices in or der to test her sagacity. Among these enc of them belongs to my present topic. he lapwing has spoken of the queens wonderful throne, made of ivory and gold and curiously incrusted with sap Ihires, emeralds, opals and mysterious in- scriptions. King Suleiman commanded the strongest of the Jinns serving him to fetch this superb throne from the palace of Sheba as soon as its mistress had started. I will give translation of the Arabic verses which follow: And Solo, mon said unto his servants, Alter her throne, that she may not know it, to the end that we may see whether she be rightly directed or whether she be one of those who are not rightly directed And when she was come unto Solomon it was said unto her, Is thy throne like this? She answered, As though it were the same. Such perspicacity struck the king more than he had been disappointed by her when she took the polished floor of his palace for water and drew her golden robe above her knees in order nor to moisten 1t. Nor, truly, was 1t less than marvellous that the chair, which had no equal in the world and which she had left behind in her African court, should be awaiting her in such incredible swift ness of manner in her palace in Jerusa- lem As for the queen herself, she be- came on the spot the vassal of the king o.16 1.nIt Ls- indeed, the greater rart of Asa-would think it only a natural finish to the an- cient legend if Lord Curzon had indeed in some way or other acquired the in- comparable seat of state and were to oc- cupy it on the great morning of the grand durbar
 But no one knows, and probably mo- body will ever know, what became of that throne of Solomon,' whereof the Korean treats as thing which did once exist. The only item of imperial uphol- stery which at all coincides with the splendor and unique design of that article of the Queen of Sheba's household furni- ture was the throne carried away from Delhi and It's Hindoo sovereign by Nada Shah, the Persian. But we know where that is today; it is visible, and even in occasional use, at the palace at Teheran, and is the property of his majesty the Shah, who has lately visited our shores It is nothing more nor less than the Peacock Throne" Takht-i-Taous. and. surely, if skill In workmanship and wealth of material could settle the question, rich and fine enough for the dignity of any legend. The Peacock Throne' has been valued by competent European jewellers at a4,0O0, 0O0 and there are said to be on the gold, the ivory and the ebo- ny of which 1t is constructed jewels of absolutely unequaled value and impor- tance How 1t has survived the financial exigencies of successive Shahs it is dif- ficult to realize, or what will prove the ultimate destiny of an object which could build half a dozen first-class bat tleships or pay the expenses of a small war. The history of races and religions would, indeed. be romantically rounded if the famous throne had been found which was a seat of state for the Queen of Sheba, chair of dignity for the re- nowned son of David, and disappeared. perhaps, as the King Of Israel himself disappeared when the great temple at Jerusalem was finished. Who knows what curious and precious objects may not lie hidden in the Tosha- -Khanas-the treasure chambers-of India and Central Asia? And what, I wonder, would be the market value of such throne if Pier pont Morgan or Andrew Carnegie should desire to purchase it, to make, perhaps, rocking chair for the President of the United States?