New-York tribune., 1921-02-13
That Is a Question That the Austrian
Republic Is Going Into
Court to Settle

dated from the fifteenth century and
represented merger of the property
Of the Roman Emperor Frederick Nv
and that of Charles the Keen, last
reigning Duke of Burgundy, the mar
riage Of whose heiress to the Arch
duke Maximilian laid the foundation
of Hapsburg world power. In time
the treasures of the various younger
branches of the Hapsburgs-those of
Styria, Tyrol, Brabant, etc.-were
brought to Vienna and united to the
trunk estate. Finally after the
death of Emperor Charles VI, last
of the direct male line, the family
treasure of his son-in-law and sue
cessor, Emperor Francis l, Duke of
Lorraine and Grand Duke of Tus-
cany, was added to the Hapsburg
heritage. The treasure chamber was
institutionalized by Franciss con-
sort, better known than himself,
Maria Theresa.
From the middle Of the eighteenth
century ~to this day the various re-
gala, gems and other heirlooms of
the Hapsburg-Lorraine dynasty were
kept in this treasure chamber in
glass cases numbering more than
thirty. There were several glass
walled wardrobes containing heralds'
robes, all richly ornamented with
gold and silver lace and embroidery
and gems there were six large closets
filled with fine watches and clocks,
many of them several centuries old
| and still in excellent working con-
dition, some richly bejeweled and
of considerable historical interest.
There were several closets filled with
vases, bowls, dishes, baptismal
founts, holy water containers and
the like, all carved of the finest crys-
tai and smoky topaz. There was sill.
yer and gold plate and an enormous
variety of most valuable curios.
A Wonderful Treasure
But most important of all was the
section called the "private jewelry of
the imperial house." This depart
ment included the imperial crown,
the crown of the empress, the other
regalia and a collection of diamonds.
rubies, emeralds and other gems that
was, as said above, the most as
tonishing hoard of it's kind in the
world, next, or rather, equal to that
of the Romanoffs. 1t is the treas
ures listed in this section that will
form the main subject of the pro-
posed litigation between the Repub-
lie of Austria and the ex-Emperor.
The imperial crown itself, al
though historically and legally not
nearly as important as the crown of
Hungary, for instance, is an art
object of exquisite beauty and enor-
nous value. 1t was made under the
reign of the Roman Emperor Ru-
dolph II and bears the inscription
"Rud. Rom. Imp. Hung. ct Bob
Rex. Construxit. MDCVII." {Fash-
Toned by Rudolphus Roman Emper-
or King of Hungary and Bohemia
1607.) 1t cost the-for that time
tremendous sum of 100000 i'm
perial dollars. The crowns base is
of solid gold and consists Of two
parts--a headband mounted with
gems, upon which are mounted eight
lily-shaped ornaments of two differ
ent sizes, richly jeweled and topped
by large pearls. The globular car
is divided into two triangular sec
tions, each bordered by an enamelec
band, which, again, are hemmed by
rows of pearls. The hoop, richly SCI
with gems, is surmounted by 6
small cross bearing an enormou.
sapphire of extraordinary beauty.
Used at Coronations
From the reign of Emperor Ma
thias, successor to Rudolph, this
crown was used at the imperial cor
onations at Frankfort. 1t signiied
however, sovereignty over the che
reditary provinces" of the house Of
Hapsburg--Upper and Lower Aus
tria. Styria, Tyrol, etc.--and not