The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-06-14
PRICELESS JEWELS.
Belonging to the Rnjahs of India ar
 the Envy of the World.

| | the Envy of the World.
 Detroit Tribune.
 Some things there are in this world the potential American dollar cannot | buy, and which even the influence of European royalty is powerless to win. Among them are the priceless sets of Jewels belonging to the raJahs of In- dia. Many of these princes of the East have sets Of gems which represent a value unheard of outside the Orient. and beside which the most famous collections of the crowned heads of Eu- | rope or of the families of our Ameri- can millionaires sink into insignifi- canoe.
 It is not likely that white man will | ever wear these treasures unless they come to him as the spells of war. It Is against the most sacred traditions of | the rajahs to part with their family | heiriooms. Fabulous prices have been offered them for single jewels or orna- ments out of their vast supplies. But gold has no power to tempt them where 1 their towels are concerned.
 The pearls and diamonds belonging to the RaJah of Dholpur rank first among all these costly collections. They form the most valuable set of jewels in ex- | istence One million dollars was offer ed to the raJah for the single string of large pearls about his neck. The offer was refused. Each of these pearls is said to be absolutely without flaw, of l perfect purity and lustre.
 Each jewel in the twelve great ropes of pearls hanging down from the neck Is worth a small fortune in itself. Those | in the four ropes across the left shoul- der. though small in comparison with l their companions, are really of good | size and great value. Diamonds are l interspersed with pearls in the incrus- tations of the helmet, which is literally covered with gems It is impossible to even approximate the total value of this wonderful heirloom of the rajahs of Dholpur. It Is priceless.
 Far less showy, but scarcely inferior in value. is the family inheritance of the RaJah of Gwalior. His is a wealth of emeralds. The three bands of im- mense stones which, interspersed with | numerous smaller ones, form a broad | collar over the chest and shoulders, are | native cut. Nor will their owner con- slider the suggestion that they be re- cut with modern skill and methods. What they might gain in brilliancy by the operation would be more than off, set. in his mind, by what they would | lose in size. The value of each of the large stones Is about s50.000.
 The strips of gold embroidery upon the robes of this Indian prince are set with many emeralds of a smaller size. l shoulders down over the arms, are in- crusted with extraordinarily large stones surrounded with pearls.
 The collar--or one might almost call 1t cape-worn by the Rajar of Baroda Is mass of diamonds and various precious stones, combined in rich and wonderful confusion. The color and brilliancy of this ornament can better be imagined than described. The lighter stones are set off by borders of the darker emeralds, those forming a fringe around the lower edge being of l immense size and value. Scarcely less beautiful Is the tassel of pearls which hangs from the left side of the rajah's turban. Each string in the tassel rep resents a fortune. In each the pearls have been carefully graded as to size. and each Is slipped with a pompon of silk The cap of jewels which covers the rajah's silk turban is a mass of va rious germs to match his collar The edge is formed of diamond pendants.
 Five great ropes of pearls. priceless in value. constitute the chief treasure of the Rajah of Nizam. A single pearl from these might we'll make its owner an object of envy. Among the pearls, 1 here and there, are strung other gems, the better to display their beauty. Af ter his pearls the rajah prizes most the nine large diamonds which hang from his gold coronet. That in the centre particularly is of great size and beauty.
 Particularly odd and effective Is the use to which the Rajah of Punnah has put the thousands of pearls gathered by generations of his ancestors. He has used them to embroider his robes of State. Over the shoulders, down the sleeves and around the edges of the robe the pearls have been woven with silk and gold into beautiful and intri- a fA