The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-08-15
STORY OF a GREAT DIAMOND.
How the Regent Came Into Possession
Of the Duke of ORLEANS.


How the Regent Came Into Possession
Of the Duke Of Orleans.
One Of the most beautiful diamonds
In the world is the Regent 1t belongs
to France Besides its dimensions,
which are considerable. it unites
various qualities which further aug
ment its value. When rough It weigh
ed 41O carats. It's present weight is
only 1876 carats. It's cutting. which is
Of great excellence, required two years
OF work. It was valued in 1891 at
i2.O0O,OOO francs This diamond was
purchased in the rough state by the
grandfather Of William Pitt for $4,000
francs. The Duke of Orleans, then
Regent Of France. acquired it in 1717
for the sum OF S,375,OOO francs.
According to st. l.mon who gives
an interesting recital of the purchase
OF the stone, there is quite a different
version from that ordinarily accepted:
Through an extremely rare oppor-
tunity an employee IN the diamond
mines OF the Grand Mogul was able
to extract one OF very large size. He
found means OF embarkng and reach
ing Europe with his diamond lie
took it to England, where the king
admired it, without. however, deciding
to buy it, 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 price frightened the Regent. who
refused to buy IT,
The state OF the finances was an
obstacle on which the Regent insisted.
He feared mourning censure for so
large a purchase, while there was
trouble n providing for tie most
pressing necessities and many people
were left in suffering.
Il applalded this sentiment, but
said to him that it was not suitable to
exercise the same economy for the
greatest King of Europe as tor pri-
vats individual; that the honor of the
Crown should be considered and the
opportunity Of procuring a diamond
which would eclipse all others IN
Europe should not be lost. did not
leave the Duke of Orleans until 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 to procure the
sum that he had hoped for, and ths
less that would be Occasioned by
breaking It up into pieces, so that the
price had been reduced to 1000 coo
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 wes
stolen and concealed behind a roof
timber of barn. AS a result Of a
proclamation it was recovered by q
municipal officer named Sergent.
The Regent was the most beautiful
Jewel in the coronation crown Of King
Louis XY. Later it was held by Valer-
berghe, a banker, as 4 pledge for lis
advances. A historian OF the times
states that the wife of the banker
took the opportunity of wearing 1t
while it was in her husbands possess
ion.
The first Consul in his turn pledged
the Regent to the Batavian Govern
ment to procure the funds which vera
lacking after the 18th BrumHire. Later
he ornamented his Austerlttz sword
with the celebrated diamond, which.
in the words Of Vatout, might we'll
have dispensed with the ornament.
-Jewlers Circular Weekly.
Hotel Comforts on Steamers.