MAN USED SAPPHIRES AS DOOR STOPS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22655, 4 June 1948, Page 6

MAN USED SAPPHIRES

AS DOOR STOPS

BRISBANE, May 14.

For years sapphires worth thousands of pounds have been used as doorstops by Mr. Harry Spencer, of Fiubyvale, Central Queensland. “But I am putting them away now,” he said today. Cable messages from America this week reported that a star sapphire lie had sold there last September was valued by its present owner, Mr. Harry ICazanjian, at £90,000. Weighing 1156 carats in the raw. and in its finished state 733 carats, it was regarded as the world’s biggest—l7o carats more than the Star of India, But Mr. Spencer still has bigger ones. The sapphire was found 14 years ago by Mr. Spencer's sore Roy, then aged 12.

Asked why he had retained it so long, Mr. Spencer said: “I showed it to a number of gem experts in Australia, but they all told me it was worthless.

“I was told there were no star sapphires in Queensland. Eventually I sent it to America. I cannot tell you the sale price, but I know now there are star sapphires in Queensland.” Asked about his plans. Mr. Spencer remarked: ‘T've been in the district for 43 years, and have no intention of leaving. I guess sapphires are in the blood.”