The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1906-02-16
GEMS that ARE
BEYOND PRICE
She Rajahs of India Posses,
Collections Of Precious Stones
Of Untold Value.
EMERALD WORTH $4,000
Che Pearls and Diamonds Belonging t.
tho Rajah Of phoipar, the Nest
Valuable in the Orient-ls Of
.. fered 81 ZOO, COO for String.
From the Philadelphia Ledger.

From the Philadelphia Ledger.
Some things there are in TINS worlQ
me potential American dollar cannot
buy and which even the influence Or
european royalty is powerless to win.
Among them are the priceless sets of
jewels belonging to the rajahs Of India.
Many OF these princes of the east have
sets OF gems which represent value
unheard of outside the orient and be-
side which the most famous collections
or the crowned heads OF Europe or of
the families OF American nillionaires
sink into insignificance.
1t Is against the most sacred tradi
tons OF the rajahs to part with their
f@mily heirlooms. Fabulous prices have
been offered. but gold has no power to
tempt them where their jewels are COM
Cerned
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
existence. One million dollars was Of
fered to the rajah for the single string
or large pearls about his neck. The
is said to be absolutely without flaw,
or perfect purity and luster
Every jewel IN the twelve great ropes
or pearls hanging down from the neck
Is worth a small fortune in itself. Those
In the four ropes across the left Shout
der. though small in comparison with
their companions, are really of good
size and great value Diamonds are
interspersed with pearls in the in
crustations of the helmet which is lit
orally covered with gems. 1t is inn
possible to approximate the total value
Of this wonderful heirloom OF the IA
jahs of Dholpur. 1t is priceless.
Far less snowy, but scarcely inferior
In value. is the family Inheritance of
the rajah Of Gwallor. His is a wealth
OF emeralds. The three bands of i'm
lnense stones which, interspersed with
numerous smaller ones, form a broad
collar over the chest and shoulders, are
nat!ye.cut. Nor.will their owner con-
slider the suggestion that they may be
recut 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 $4,000.
The strips Of gold embroidery upon
the robes of this Indian prince are set
with many emeralds of smaller size.
The epaulets. which hang from the
shoulder 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 rajah of Baroda
Is q mass Of diamonds and various pre-
cious stones combined in rich and Won
derful confusion. The color and bril-
lancy OF this ornament can better:
be imagined than described, The light
er stones are set off by borders of the
darker emeralds. those forming a fringe
around the lower edge being of i'm
meEse size and value Scarcely less
beautiful is the tassel of pearls which
hangs from the left side of this rajah's
turban. Each, string in this tassel rep
resents fortune. III each the pearls
have been carefully graded as to size
and each is tipped with pompon of
silk. The cap Of jewels which covers
the rajahs silk turban is mass of
various gems 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 well make its owner
an object Of envy. Among the pearls.
here and there. are strung. other gems,
the better to display their beauty. Att
er the pearls the rajah prizes most the
nine large diamonds which hang from
his gold coronet. That in the center
particularly is Of great size and beauty.