The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-12-17
ABDUL HANDS
MISSING JEWELS

There have been number Of theories
regarding the mysterious disappearance
OF the deposed Sultan Abdul Hamid' 5
jewels. 1t has been said that they were
connscated by the Young Turks at the
time OF the SuItan's forced abdication
and sold for the benefit of the public fund.
Other theories also have been advanced.
but where bis jewels actually are remains
mystery to-day.
The jewels which Abdul Hamid. the Red
Sultan, possessed are Of such rare beauty
and of so great value that they are we'll
worthy of the interest eyineed in them
and their present whereabouts. State
ments have been made that these jewels
were the property of the Ottoman en-
pire and reposed in the eountrys treas
| airy, Notwithstanding the gems were Alb
dul Hands personal property. There are
a number of other crown jewels in the
Turkish treasury, and they are described
in recent letter from a traveller in the
Orient.
There are. says the writer, per-
haps. several thousand precious
stones. Many of them are I'M
cut, and all Of them are unset They
are kept in most careless way in por-
ceiain bowls that viii hold a gallon each.
Five such bowls are filed with loose dia-
monds, rubies, sapphires. emeralds. tur-
auoises, and other gems-perhaps alto
gether half a bushel. One emerald
alone weighs four pounds. and another is
almost of the same size They are said
&c be the largest in the world. and no
doubt they are. Most OF these gems are
gifts, heirlooms, and trophies Of war.
Some of them have been handed down
through twenty-eight generations of sui
tans, having been brought to CONSTANT
nople by Mohammed the Conqueror,
when he captured that city in the ff-
teenth century.
Sultans ever have refused to sell any
| Of these treasures. no matter how hard
pressed they may have been for funds
From time to time. however. they have
selected some jewel or ornament for q
| gift Thare Is no such mass of useless
wealth in all the world. excepting. per-
| haps, in the Kremlin of Moscow, al
though it remains an open question which
| Of the two is the more valuable.
Hanging on the wall are several suits
/ Of armor of silver and gold, set With
/ jewels, and weapons with scabbards OF
solid gold and with handles blazing with
| diamonds
There are collections Of imperial robes
Of the most exquisite silks, velvets. and
| broeades. There is a toilet table covered
with diamonds and wash bowl. pitcher,
and other toilet articles incrusted with
| jewels. There are cups of onyx, crystal.
and jade; stirrups and bridle-bits OF gold.
/ In corner Of a little case is a two
quart bowl filed with buttons. each set
| with a solitaire diamond-hundreds OF
/ them which some time or other fastened
the garments of an extravagant sultan.
But the most gorgeous and overpower-
/ ing object in the collection is a throne of
gold although it looks like an ordinary
| divan with gilded arms and legs 1t is
| upholstered with rich brocade, in which
the designs are worked out with gold
| thread The legs. arms, and seat in
| different places are veneered with rubies
| emeralds, and pearls. This throne was
| brought as loot of war from the palace
Of the Shah Of Persia at Teheran, in 1902,
/ by Sultan Selim I, but is not nearly so
I q
and most gorgeous peacock throne,
which still is in the Persian palace
That was the throne of the ncguis of
India, and stood in the hall of private
| audience in the palace at Delhi II was
/ brought to Teheran by Nadir- Din.
Shah of Persia. This throne. il is be-
lieVed. is the most extravagant and
| costly piece of furniture ever made,
and was SO called from having the fig
ures of two peacoeks standing upright
behind ii, their tails expanded to form
| a background for the figures of the mo-
| gul when he occupied the seat of SOW
ereignty. The birds are enameled with
sapphires. rubies. emeraids. pearls. and
other precious stones of appropriate
color to represent life. and they do
represent life. 1t reflects the most
multicolored and fascinating rays of
light and prisms. brought out more
clearly by a background of dark shaded
/ Persian rugs. That throne itself was
| six feet long by four broad. II stood
/ on six massive feet. which. with the
body were Of solid gold. inlaid with
rubies, emeralds and diamonds.
/ The chair is surmounted by canopy OF
I cloth Of gold, supported by twelve golden
pillars. all richly embIazoned with costly
gems. while a fringe Of pearl ornaments
the borders of the canopy. Between the
two peacocks stand the figure OF a parrot
Of life size. carved out Of a single emer-
aid. On each side of the throne stands
an umbrella. one of the Oriental emblenls
Of royalty. These are made OF crimson
velvet, richly embroidered and fringed
with pearls The handles are eight feet
high. Of solid gold and studded with dia-
monds The cost of this superb work
of art has been stated at sums
varying from 100000 to SIS 000.oC0 II
was planned and executed under the
supervision of a jeweier from Bordeaux,
France.
French jeweler who visited India In
1865 valued this within of extravaganza
at 100000. The throne in its original
resting place at Delhi stood on a white
marble plinth, on which still is to be
deciphsred the boast of the moguls in
Persian characters:
IF there be a paradise on earth ii is
this. even this, even this
The present government OF Turkey so
far has not discussed the sale of the
mass Of jewels in the seraglio. Such
sale never has been suggested although
the administration Is in the greatest
need of money. A Giaour, perhaps, is
unable TO understand the awe and ven
Grafton with which these collection are
regarded by the true believers"
The mobbing of A minister In White
- hoe ha1