The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-03-10
The Disappearing Diamonds
BY FREDERICK ). HAsK,N

framework in Teheran is pointed on!
uncertainty as the peacock throne.
The crown jewels Of Russia are sup
posed to be slipping away in similar
fashion. There was no word of any
footing when the Kremlin in Moscow,
where the glittering jewels of royalty
reposed, fell into the hands of the rev
olutionists. The Kremhn has been
guarded by the Soviet government.
The condition of the great collection
of jewels in the royal treasury gal
leries is yelled in mystery.
South African papers in close touch
with The diamond trade state that
SIC, 200 600 worth of stolen Russian
diamonds were thrown on the jewel
market in ten months in 1921-and
the crown jewel collection of Russia
was particularly rich in diamonds.
The diamond production industry
has been seriously disturbed by the
large number of these gems coming
out of Russia, but now the situation
is reported as more stable. Some
South African mines that stopped pro-
ducing to await demand for their
stones are at work again.
Crown Jewels on the Market.
That some of the jewels which have
! affected the international trade are
| from the royal collection there is no
| doubt. For instance, gem expert
| in this city, Mr. w. G.. Shaw, had
two snuff boxes from the royal pos
sessions
"One of these snuff boxes said Mr..
Shaw, bore a portrait in enamel o.
the grandfather of the late Gar. This
was the Gar who was killed by (.
bomb while driving in his carriage not
so many years ago. Around the por-
trait were concentric rings of dis-
monds. This snuff box was gift 10
| the Car and was made in France
The other box, of Russian workman
ship, was oblong and made of pure
highly chased gold"
4 These boxes have gone to swell the
! collections of American connoisseurs
Mr.. Shaw explained that while very
little is known of the fate of the Rus.
| sian crown jewels, agents of the So
Wet government are known to have
sold jewels in Turkey, Holland and
other places.
"Jewelry of wonderful workman
Ship he said, has been sold by
/ peasants, in some cases, for ridiculous
prices. A piece that was worth 500,
coo has sometimes been sold for $50 in
the first trade. Then, as it fell into
the hands of experts the price would
rapidly reach what might be called g
normal level.
"The greatest part of the jewels
that have come from Russia lately
have gone to London. Many diamonds
however, have been sent to Holland te
be recut. There does not seem Il
have been any fear of pieces beins
identified. There was no special al
tempt to have the appearance chang
ed. There was no need for the meth
DDS of burglar in dealing with tht
property of departed royalty.
4 Moreover, the artistry of the Rus
, sian settings enhances the value 0
| the gems. The niello work-pattern
| of black alloyed metal on white-an
the beautiful enameling are too mucl
admired to be recklessly destroyed
pieces have been changed, rather
| because the stones were what i
!, known as old mine cutting Nine
tenths of the diamonds in old collec
lions, like that of the Russian crown
are old-time cutting. That means tina
they were cut by hand, and the facet
! of a hand cut stone are neither s.
numerous nor so sharply cut as thos
of stone cut by modern machinery
The machine cut stones with thei
automatically correct facets are ia
more brilliant than these old diamonds
: So, even though recruiting involves
loss of about 20 per cent of a ston
: the old diamonds must be recut bcfor
they are desirable for the modern jew
elry trade"
Mr.. Shaw explained that the RUSSIA
!. crown jewel collection was considere
the most tasteful collection of roya
jewels in the world, and probably tn
, finest, except in pearls.
The Oriental strain which the Rus
slams inherit from the Tartar invader
accounts for the Russian love for Jew
: