The New York herald., 1922-04-23
PRICE OF JEWELS /.
IS RISING RAPIDLY
French Buyers Competition
Sends Up Cost Despite
Russian Supply.
COMES FROM REFUGEES
More Than Billion Francs
Worth Dumped on Deal
ers. Since War.
COMES FROM REFUGEES

spscior cable to THE New York HERALD.
Cop,afoIt. rsse, bv THE New York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Paris, April 22.
While the rest of the world is will
ing TO invest it's surplus wealth In
Jewels. fearing the dangerous fiuctua-
tions in currency, this is not true of
the Russian refugees whose desire is
to turn their gems into cash where
with. to buy food and clothing This
is alleged here to have caused one of
the strangest postwar crises by send
ing UP the cost of jewels of all sorts
because of the constant competition
among the buyers.
According to one of the most noted
European experts the Russians, in
cluding both Reds and Bolshe-
visits since the war has dumped more
tran 100000 francs worth OF
jewels on the Paris market notwith-
standing the fact that the safes OF
jewels are already filled with pre-
cious stones for which there was little
demand during the four years OF war.
This dumping came in two distinct
waves. The first consisted OF the rem
Enants of the fortunes OF the Russian
mobiles and middle classes who succeeded
in escaping from Russia when the Red
menace first appeared. AS soon as they
discovered that their Russian money
was not worth the paper 1t was printed
on they began to sell their gems. Al
first only a few rings. but finally the
choicest heirlooms of ancient Russian
families were disposed OF.
BY a strange turn Of fate they found
the Paris merchants ready to offer them
more than they ever dreamed the jewels
would bring. A well known Russian
prince received 3,500.000 francs for an
emerald necklace, bracelet and tiara
which had not cost the family 100000
francs. single emerald from the Car s
collection valued before the war at $500
francs per carat was bought eagerly by
Rue de la Paix dealer for 10000
4 francs per carat.
A well known duke who to-day is
\ known to be complaining that his income
is only 100000 francs a year escaped
! from Russia with q. Jewel collection
which he sold for 10.000,000 francs. II
Is true. however, that this unfortunate
duke in the days when his Golfers were
| filled with the Cars banknotes used 10
spend IL, 900, 900 francs yearly.
was started by the BolshevilSi them
selves. at first through small merchants
as Intermediates. but later through big
international bankers and messengers
who deal through the Red headquarters
at Reval.
One Swedish inancier recently offered
n high commission to a French jewel
expert named Rosenthal IL he would
undertake to dispose of several hundred
million francs worth OF Russian jewel;
confiscated by the Bolsheviki Rosen.
thai refused. but he might as well have
consented. for the stream OF jewels did
not cease and prices have not suffered
by what apparently is an unprecedented
excess.
During recent months the jewels OF
noble families from other countries who
have lost their official spiendor have
commenced to arrive here. The latest
sale recorded il the International mar
ket is that OF the jewels of the late
Charles Hapsburg. which netted thirty
odd million francs.