Evening star., 1937-04-28
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.


"HE present imperial crown OF
England was made by the
court jewellers for Queen Vic
L toria in 1887.
The 5h-pound royal headpiece
made for her uncle, fat George the
Fourth, was too big and heavy for
her girlish brow. 1t was broken up
and the jewels rearranged in new
crown, lighter and more simple in
taste. The value of the gems was
close to million dollars.
1T consists of diamonds, rubies,
pearls, sapphires, set in silver and
gold. It has a crimson cap with an
ermine border and is lined with white
silk The gross weight is little
more than 80 ounces. The lower
part of the band, above the ermine
border consists of row of l29 pearls
and the upper part Of the band of
row of 112 pearls, between which,
in front of the crown, is large
sapphire
AT the back is sapphire of
smaller size and six other sapphires,
three on each side, between which
are eight emeralds. Between the
emeralds and sapphires are l6 tre-
foil ornaments containing l60 dia-
monds. Above the band are eight
sapphires Surmounted by eight dia-
monds. between which are eight
festoons, consisting of 148 diamonds.
Famous Ruby in Cross.
"In front of the crown and in the
center of a diamond Maltese cross
is a famous ruby said to have been
given to Edward, the black prince.
by Dom Pedro, King of Castillo, and
to have been worn by King Henry
the Fourth at the Battle of Argin-
court. This ruby is pierced through
the middle after the Oriental fash
ion. Around this ruby, to form the
cross, are rs brilliant diamonds.
Three other Maltese crosses, forming
the two sides and back of the crown,
have emerald centers and contain each
l22, 134 and 1870 brilliant diamonds.
Between the four Maltese crosses are
four ornaments in the shape Of
French fluer-de-lys, with four rubies
in the centers and each surrounded
by approximately 80 rose diamonds.
From the Maltese crosses issue
four imperial arches, composed of
oak leaves and acorns The leaves
contain 728 rose and brilliant dia-
monds. Twenty-Five pearls form the
acorns set in cups containing 54 rose
diamonds. From the arches are sus-
pended four large. pendant, pear
shaped pearls, with rose diamond
cups containing II rose diamonds and
stems containing "a very small dia-
monds. Above the arches stands the
mound. containing in the lower hem
isphere 3O4 brilliants, and in the
upper 244 brilliants, with zone and
arc composed of 33 rose diamonds.
"All is surrounded by cross with
a rose-cut sapphire in the center,
surrounded by 4 large brilliants.
and 108 smaller brilliantS The to-
tai of the jewels in the imperial
crown of England may thus be sum-
married: One large ruby irregularly
polished, large broad-spread sap
phire, is sapphires, II emeralds,
rubies, 1863 brilliant diamonds. 1878
rose diamonds, lat table diamonds.
drop-shaped pearls and 273 other
pearls"
Worn Only for State Events.
Thus heavy is the burden upon
the brow of England's monarch
Naturally it is worn only upon great
state occasions. The crown of Eng
land for minor occasions of state is
of similar design but much lighter
and with very few jewels.
Some of the gems have romantic
histories, such as the black princes
ruby in the center Of the Maltese
cross on the front of the crown. It
was originally the property of the
King of Granada, Moor Pedro the
Cruel of Castillo granted him a safe
conduct for an audience and then
treacherously had him stabbed in the
back for the sake of his jewels, OF
which this was the largest and most
colorful. He presented it to the Brit
ish crown prince as token of friend
ship. Throughout his life the black
prince wore it in front of his hat.
Presumably it was sold with the
other royal regalia at the time of the
Commonwealth. purchased by some
royalist and presented to Charles the
Second at the Restoration.
A good deal of mystery is attached
to the large sapphire in the front