The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1908-12-30
THE SANCY DIAMOND
Legend OF Louis de 5erQuem and
the Celebrated Gem.
A NIGHT LAMP FOR A KING.


A NIGHT LAMP FOR A KING.
checkered Career Of the Brilliant Stone
After the Death OF Charles the Tirnid.
Some Facts About the Invention OF
Diamond Cutting.
Louis de Berquem, says tradition,
was a poor jewelers. workman, but
he fell in love with the daughter of q
wealthy jeweler This ayaricious IA
ther would not give his daughter IN
marriage to any man not Possessed OF
gold. Louis, having neither "eNpecta-
tions" from relatives nor favor at
court, sought to make his fortune. He
had often heard the father Of his be-
loved remark that the man who diScov-
cred method of cutting diamonds
would become very wealthy, for up to
that time they knew nothing more
than to scrape off the gravel, and the
diamond was left in its native state.
Neiher lime. fire nor the mill could af-
feet the diamond.
After many investigations and deep
thought Louis bethought himself that
iron is fashioned with steel. which IS
only hardened iron. and it occurred to
him that perhaps the diamond would
yield to the diamond. He made an
experiment. which was at once crown
ed with success.
A few days later he presented him
self before the rich jeweler with two
diamonds cut into facets. He obtained
the hand he sought and amassed a
great fortune by his secret, which he
divulged only after be had become
wealthy.
King Charles the Timid was the
principal customer Of Louis de Ber-
ouen. The fastidious enemy Of Louis
XI. then possessed q large diamond
since become celebrated, accounted
among the finest Of precious stones.
But this diamond was i'll shapen. and
the fires which it held burned in vain
Louis de Berquem cut and polished
this stone. and nothing could equal the
ioy Of Charles the Timid when the
jeweler brought him the great dla-
mond, so glitterins with light that 1t
lit up the darkness. and this to such
an extent that the prince said. "It VIII
serve me as night lamp" Berquem
received 5000 ducats for his work
AS for the diamond. this is the one
which was found in January. 1471, on
the body of Charles the Ti.nid after
the battle Of Nancy. A soldier picked
It up, sold it for one gold piece to a
priest who in turn sold it for three
piecessof gold to merchant. who took
it to the Duke Of Florence.
From the hands Of this prince 1t
passed into the possession Of the king
Of Portugal. He sold it for 10000
francs to one Of the companions or
Henri III. Nicholas de Earlay, baron
Of Sancy. Since this time the first
large diamond to be cut IS known as
'sthe Sancy."
This legend leads to other considera-
tons Of the cutting Of diamonds as
cribed to Louis de BerQuem at Bus
sells in 1865.
Hardly any one will assert boldly
that no diamonds were cut before that
date. but it IS reasonable to suppose
that Louis de Berquem regulated cut
ting by arranging the facets.
Long before the birth Of Louis de
Berquem cutting was known in lnd1a
Even in Europe we find among the
treasures Of the churches thick dla-
monds cut into table and culet, the
upper sides beaten into sections. IN
1850, according TO the inventory OF the
Jewels Of Louis, duke Of Anjou, is
found an entire series Of cut diamonds.
There is mention Of fat diamond
with six sides, Of a heart shaped dia-
mond. of a diamond with eight sides,
of a lozenge shaped diamond, Of dia-
mond pointed on four sides and OF q
reliuuary in which was set q diamond
cut in the shape of q shield.
History informs US that ioo years
before the first work Of Louis de Ber.
ouem there were at Paris, at the cor
ner Of the Corroyerie. several diamond
cutters.
The Duke Of Burgundy, after fas-
tidious repast given at the Louvre to
the king and the French court in l4C3.
offered to his noble guests eleven dia-
monds estimated to be worth 1856
pieces Of gold. the money Of the pc
ROD.
It is hardly possible to suppose that
these were uncut diamonds; all OF
which goes to prove, notwithstanding
some opinions, that Louis de Berquem
did not invent the process Of diamond
cutting.
It is no less interesting to follow the
fortunes Of the Sancy little further.
It remained in the Sancy family some
time, and Henri III. took, it from
CQ0m. II WIS ueStlueO " SCi ~ 90 ~
pledge for the raising Of body Of
Swiss soldiers, but the servant intrust-
ed with bringing this diamond to the
king was attacked, put to death, and
the diamond was thought to be lost.
Finally it was discovered that the
servant had been assassinated in the
forest of Dole and through the care
Of the priest had been buried in the
village cemetery. Then the Baron de
Sancy resolved that the diamond must
not be lost. In fact, they found it in
the stomach Of the haDless. faithful
servant. who swallowed it at the mo-
ment that be fell According to the
inventory Of 1791 the Sancy weighed
33% carats.
It disappeared in 1902 to reappear in
Russia. Its value is estimated at a
million francs. Before the revolution
it was among the French crown jew