The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-11-07
STORY OF A GREAT DIAMOND.
How the Regent Came into Possession
Of the Duke Of Orleans.

Of the Duke Of Orleans.
One of the most beautiful diamonds
In the world is the Regent It belongs
to France. Besidec its dimensions,
which are considerable, it unites
various qualities which further aug
ment Its value. When rough it weigh
ed 40 carats. Its present weight is
only 1876 cargts. It's cutting, which is
Of great excellence, required two years
OF work. 1t was valued in 1891 at
i2.000,0OO francs. This diamond was
purchased in the rough state by the
grandfather Of William Pitt for 312,OO9
francs. The Duke of Orleans, then
Regent Of France. acquired 1t in 1717
Tor the SUN OF S,S75.OOO francs.
According to st. ..mon, who gives
an interesting recital of the purchase
of the stone. there is quite different
version from that ordinarily accepted:
Through an extremely rare oppor-
tunity an employee In the diamond
mines of the Grand Mogul was able
20 extract one Of very large size. He
found means OF embarking and reach
ing Europe with his diamond. lie
took It to England, where the king
admired IL, without, however, deciding
to buy it. A model of glass was made
In England and the man was sent with
the diamond and model to Law, who
proposed It to the Regent for the King.
The prize frightened the Regent. who
refused to buy II.
The state OF the finances was an
obstacle on which the Regent insisted.
He feared incurring censure for 30
large q purchase, while there was
trouble N proyi"ing for tLe most
pressing necessities and many people
we're left In suffering.
Il applaaded this sentiment, but l
said TO him that it was not suitable to
exercise the same economy for the
greatest King OF Europe as tor a pri-
vate individual; that the honor OF the
Crown should be considered and the
opportunity OF procuring diamond
which would eclipse all others IN
Europe should not be lost aid not
leave the Duke of Orlesrs untf had
obtained the promise that the dia-
mond should be purchased. Law. be-
fcre speaking TO me, had represented
TO the possessor OF the diamond that
It would be impossible 70 procure ths
sum that he had hoped for. and the
less that would be occasioned by
breaking 1t up into pieces, SO that tina
price. had been reduced TO 2,OO0t05
francs. including the scraps that would
come from the cutting. The bargain
was concluded in this way. The in
terest OF 100000 francs in precious
stones was hypothecated.'
In the celebrated robbery at the
Garde Meuble. in 1892, this stone wos
stolen and concealed behind a roof
timber Of a barn. AS result Of a
proclamation Il was recovered by a
municipal officer named sergent
The Regent was he inost beautiful
Jewel in the coronation crown OF King
Louis XIV Later it was held by valer-
berghe, a banker. As q pledge for kls
advances. A historian OF tbe times
states that the wife of the banker
took the opportunity Of wearing it
while it WAS In her husbands possess
ion.
The hrst Consul in his turn pledged |
the Regent 10 the Batavian Govern
ment 10 procure the funds which wers
lacking after the 18th Brumaire. Later
he ornamented his Austerltz sword |
with the celebrated diamond. which, |
in the wogds Of Vatout, might well /
have dispensed with the uameus
--Jewlers Circular Weekly