The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-03-10


The great collection of Russian
crown jewels seems likely to share
the mysterious fate of the peacock
throne in Delhi.
The peacock throne, which cost
! Shah Jehan 1000 900, was a won
derful canopied chair of pure gold
encrusted with rubies, sapphires
and festoons of pearls, and ornG-
mented with two great jeweled pea
cocks and a hfe-sized parrot cut
from a single emerald. 1t was a
fabulous work of art and when il
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 of there, and the emer-
aid parrot cut into a number OF
less distinctive Jewels. Today a
mere throne framework in Teheran
is pointed out uncertainty as The
peacock throne.
The crown jewels of Russia are
supposed to be slipping away in
similar fashion. There was no
word of any footing when the Krem-
lin in Moscow, where the glitter
ing jewels of royalty reposed, fell
into the hands of the revolution
lists. The kremlin has been guard
ed by the Soviet government. The
condition of the great collection Of
jewels in the royal treasury CALLER
les is yelled in mystery.
South African papers in close
touch with the diamond trade state
that S10,000,000 worth of stolen
Russian diamonds were thrown On
the jewel market in 10 months in
iceland the crown jewel collec-
ton of Russia was particularly
rich in diamonds.
The diamond production indus
try 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 de-
mand 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 the royal collection
there is no doubt For instance, a
gem expert in this city, Mr.. W. {.
Shaw, had two snuf boxes from the
royal possessions.
One Of these snuff boxes" said
Mr.. Shaw, bore a portrait in
enamel OF the grandfather of the
late car. This was the czar who
was killed by bomb while driving
IN his carriage not SO many years
ago. Around the portrait were
concentric rings of diamonds. This
snuff box was gift to the car and
was made in France. The other
box, of Russian workmanship. was
oblong and made of pure, highly
chased gold
These boxes have gone to swell
the collections of American con-
nisseurs.
Mr.. Shaw explained that while
very little is known of the fate of
the Russian crown jewels, agents
of the Soviet government are known
to have sold jewels in Turkey, Hol-
land, and other places.
'Jewelry of wonderful workman
ship" he said, has been sold by
peasants, in some cases, for ridicu-
lous prices. A piece that was
worth 100000 has sometimes besn
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 a nor
NAL 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 ap-
pearance changed. There was no
need for the methods OF a burglar
in dealing with the property of de-
parted royalty.
Moreover, the artistry of the
Russian settings enhances the
value of the gems. The niello work
patterns of black alloyed meta!
on white-and the beautiful enamc--
ing 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
collections, like that of the Rus