GREAT PEARL RUINED

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 21027, 1 December 1933, Page 3

GREAT PEARL RUINED

* WORM THAT COST A FORTUNE STORY FROM DARWIN (FROM CUE OWS CORRESPONDENT.) SYDNEY, November 23. A story from Darwin tells how Darwin's biggest pearler lost a fortune through the depredations of a parasite. On Monday, when his fleet put into port, Mr V. J. Clark made his customary examination and his heart nearly stopped beating when a diver handed to him a shell with an enormous blister in it. Underneath the mother of pearl layers, forming the blister, could be seen the outline of a pearl which was the size of a pigeon's egg. There was great excitement as the examination proceeded. Mr Clark turned the shell over and over, estimating in his mind, no doubt, the enormous value of his prize. He cleaned the shell of the marine growth that had gathered on the outside, and then proceeded to chip the pearl free. To his bitter disappointment he found that a worm had eaten right through the shell into the very heart of the pearl. Instead of being worth a fortune it was valueless. Had the parasite not attacked the shell at this particular spot it is likely that Mr Clark would have become possessed of the largest pearl in the world, and the most valuable. He estimates that it would have weighed 200 grains—twice as big as the largest pearl ever found in Australian waters, the Star of the East. That pearl was found by his uncle near Broome in 1916, and was sold for £ 10,000. If the pearl discovered this week had been without defect it

would probably have been worth at least £ 20,00,0. By way of an anti-climax to this pearl tragedy, Mr Clark chipped another likely-looking blister in another shell. Out rolled a perfect 53grain pear-drop pearl of beautiful symmetry and soft creamy lustre. It was worth £2OOO. The second pearl is the largest found at Darwin for nearly 10 years. It is a rarity among pearls, and a French buyer is already on his way to Darwin to bid for it.