The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-03-14
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC J. HAEKIN. DlrectOr.
Washingt0n, D. Q.
THE DISAPPEARING DIAMONDS.

!
els seems likely to share the myster-
ious fate of the peacock throne in
Delhi.
The peacock throne. which cost
Shah Jehan sac, 900, 900, was a won
derful canopied chair OF pure gold
: encrusted with rules, sapphires and
festoons of pearls. and ornamented
with two great jeweled peacocksf and
hfe-sized parrot cut from single
| emerald. 1t was a fabulous work OF
art and when it slipped out of sight
after the death of the shah there was
much speculation Presumably a
strand of pearls was Topped off here,
a ruby pried off there, and the emer-
aid parrot cut into a number OF less
throne framework in Teheran is
pointed out uncertainty as the pea
cock throne.
The crown Jewels of Russia are sup
posed to be slipping away in similar
fashion. There was no word of any
looting when the Kremlin in Moscow,
where the glittering jewels of royalty
reposed. fell into the hands of the rev
olutionists- The Kremlin 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
y
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 producing
to await a demand for their stones
are at work again.
Crown Jewels ON the Market.
That some of the jewels which have
so affected the international trade are
from royal collection there is no doubt.
For instance, a gem expert in this
city. Mr.. W. c. Shaw, had two snuff
boxes from the royal possessions.
"One OF these snuff boxes" said
Mr.. Shaw, bore the portrait in
enamel OF the grandfather of the late
car. This was the car who was
killed by bomb while driving in his
carriage not so many years ago.
rings of diamonds This snuff box
was a gift to the car and was made
in France. The other box. of Rus
sian workmanship. was oblong and
made of pure, highly chased gold"
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
Soviet 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 $780,
600 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
normal level.
The greatest part of the Jewels
that have come from Russia lately
have gone to London. Many dia-
monds, however. have been sent to
Holland to be recut. There does not
seem to have been any fear of pieces
being identified. There was no special
attempt to have the appearance
changed. There was no need for the
methods of a burglar in dealing with
the property of departed royalty.
Moreover, the artistry of the Rus
sian settings enhances the value of
the gems. The niello work-patterns
OF black alloyed metal on white-and
the beautiful enameling are too much
admired to be recklessly destroyed.
Stones Being Recut.
pieces have been changed, rather.
because the stones were what is
known as old mine cutting. Nine
tenths of the diamonds in old collec-
tions, like that of the Russian crown,
are old mine cutting. That means that
they were cut by hand, and the facets
of a hand cut stone are neither so
nun erous nor so sharply cut as those
of a stone cut by modern machinery.
The machine cut stones with their
fundamentally correct facets are far
more brilliant than these old dia-
monds. So, even tho recruiting in
wolves loss of about 20 per cent of
a stone. the old diamonds must be re
cut before they are desirable for the
modern jewelry trade"
Mr.. Shaw explained that the Rus
sian crown Jewel collection was con-
sidered the most tasteful collection of
royal jewels in the world, and prop
ably the finest, except in pearls.
THE Oriental strain which the Rus
slams inherit from the Tartar invaders
accounts for the Russian love for jew
els said Mr.. Shaw. ''It is common
trait in peasant and prince. The Rus
SLAMS of all classes have way OF saw
ing their money by investing in jew
els and the crown collection reprer
scented the greatest expression of that
Russian trait.
In pearls alone the Russian cars
loving monarchs. Oriental rulers
have always collected pearls as the
gem most to be priced: SO that the
great value of the worlds pearls is in
the east. The late Rama OF Dholpur,
wearing his pearl regalia-strings up
on strings of cleaning opalescent
S12,00O,OOO in
gems, the result of a thousand. years
patient collecting Russia could not
compete with this"
The Russian crown jewels made
more dazzling show, however. than the
gem fortunes of any other nation.
The 1000 pieces in the crown collec-
ton included golden goblets, innumer-
able gold plates some encrusted with
gems, a chAlice cut from a single |
great amethyst. Jewels OF famous or
ders Tiaras. cpronets. necklaces and
all blazing with the sparkle |
of rubies. sapphires, emeralds and dia-
monds were in the remarkable treas |
ure house