ROYAL TREASURES

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 110, 3 February 1930, Page 10

ROYAL TREASURES

SOVIET SELLS JEWELS OF - DEAD TSAR —_ | WONDERFUL ORNAMENTS Dominion Special Service. [By Nellie M. Scanlan.] London, December 19. In a shop window in Regent Street, you may see offered for sale jewels from the Royal house of Russia. Quaint and lovely things; ikons and intaglios; an elephant carved in jade, an enamel box studded with gems. When the Revolution broke, and the Royal family was murdered, the Soviet sealed the rooms in the Royal palaces, and much of the treasure remained intact To-day it is finding its way on to the market Not too much at a time; that would bring down prices, which, In truth, seem low enough in many cases, if one could afford such luxuries. Inside the shop are still greater treasures, and within the iron safe even more wonders still. "I will show you a Faberge now,” said the man, swinging open the safe door. “Faberge!" I repeated. “He was the greatest artist in gold and jewels, in silver and enamel, that the world has ever seen. He died three years ago. And see, his work is scattered around the world.” From the safe he took an eggshaped case of pearl-grey velvet, with a silver clasp on top. It was almost the size of a football Reverently he opened it. “Faberge,” he said, displaying the contents proudly. Exquisite Workmanship. Inside the case was an egg-shaped ornament of pale mauve enameL covered with a cobweb of what looked like fine silver. At the intersections of each thread was a tiny true-lover’s knot But the tracery was not silver, It was a mesh of tiny diamonds. The workmanship was exquisite. On top was a large diamond, and the base of the egg, as It were, was also a large diamond, so largo that you could see In clear black figures beneath it the date of this precious piece. “Look,” said the man, and the jewelled egg opened half-way down under the Irregular web of tiny diamonds, revealing a rim of chased gold, and the whole Interior was lined with white velvet. “What was this made for?” I asked. Spreading his hands In speculative wonder, he replied: ‘'No doubt It once contained a royal gift . . , but to whom?” Next he brought out a model state coach, about a foot long. The boody of the little coach wa4 all most beautiful enamel, like painting on ivory, and the wheels and framework of gold. The man touched a spring, and Inside the coach a tiny music-box began to play. The silver thread of sound tinkled out through the coach windows, as it ran back and forth on Its golden wheels. "And this!” said the man. "It Is not a Faberge; it Is much older.” This was a small enamel box studded with rubies. Again he touched a secret spring and the lid flew open, and up sprang the tiniest .wee bird, with gold beak and gay plumage in coloured enamels. The whole bird was not an Inch long, but It waved Its wings and opened and shut It beak, and sang the sweetest song, just like a lark or a thrush, this marvellous jewelled toy of some Royal lady. A spray of blue cornflowers and golden buttercups stood in a clear glass vase. The cornflowers were of blue enamel, and the buttercups of gold, but the heart of each flower was studded with a cluster of diamonds. A great gold chalice from the Cathedral of St. Petersburg, was encrusted with 1350 diamonds, and set with intaglios. Negotiations for its purchase are now being completed by a private buyer, as the Russian Church is too poor - even to pay its clergy, much less to find the money to buy back Its treasure. When I asked the price of the chalice, the man said: “I cannot tell you, as we are in the midst of negotiations, but It is many/ thousands of pounds.” ■ “Who are buying these precious pieces?” I inquired. “Every day we sell some,” he said, “but not one piece has gone to America. I cannot name names, but Royalty has been among the purchasers.” A jewelled Russian headdress was beside the Chalice, and at its feet lay a tiny toy of blood-red Jasper. A bird carved in pink crystal was beside an elephant of jade. “And now that. Faberge is dead, who is the greatest artist in metal to-day?” I asked'. “The silversmiths of England are the greatest to-day, but for artists in jewels—there will never be another Faberge. His work cannot be copied, and he made only one of each.”