FAMOUS JEWELS OF EUROPE'S RULERS.

Lake County Press, Issue 1065, 21 May 1903, Page 6

FAMOUS JEWELS OF EUROPE'S RULERS.

The Imperial family of Russia posseaaca the moot valuable collection of piecioua bit-net; of any reigning houso in tho world. Tho treasure houses of Asia have given the choicest gems to this collet tioo. The value of them is inestimable. The lincst diamond in the world, the Orloff, is owned by the Tear. It was bought for Catherine 11. by Prince Oiloff in 1778 at Amsterdam, and now adorns llic sceptre of the Tear. It cost (he Empress an annuity of 4,CCO roubles, in icady money 450,000 roubles and a patent of nobility.Thc-Empress of Russia wisrj tho next laigest diamond in the world, and also owns Ibe finest emerald*. The jewels in the possession of the deck Church uro worth more than the collections of all the crowned heads of Kurope. The Church has been accumulating thece treasures for many years. The figures and pictures as well a«. the holy books IN THE GREEK CHURCHES are studded with gems of immense value, and the church plate is so costly that it is impossible to estimate its value. Hardly a Creek monastery is without its rare store of jewels. The finest pearl necklace in the world is owned by the Countess Henekel, and consists of three famous necklaces combined. It is valued at. half a million dollars. One of the necklaces formerly belouged to tho exQueen of JNaplea, a second adorned the Virgin of Atakha. Another beautiful pearl necklace is owned by the Duchess of Cumberland : it formerly belonged to the crown jewels of Hanover. It is a string of pearls, six feet in length, all exactly matched in shape, size, and colour. One of the lincst collections of pearls known jb that of the Queen of Italy. It is so large that she CANNOT WEAR ALL THE ROWS she owns and as they lose their colour if not always iu the light Borno of them adorn her ladies-in-waiting. Tho King of Italy gave his wife a row of these pearls on the biith of their son, and every year since has added a fresh row. As the Crown Prince is thiity years old, the value of this collection can be readily imagined. Tho Queen is sentimentally attached to pearls. Her own name—Margherita—means •' a peail." The German Empress has ;<lso a valuable collection of jewels, many of which aie her personal property. There are many fine oearJe in her jewel cases, but she did not wear them enough and they lost their colour and had to bo IMMERSED IN THE SEA for several months. Pearls pet tired. It is a habit shared by few other jowehi. Many of the precious stones now owned by Queen Victoria formerly belonged to Indian piinces. The famous Koh-i-noor came into her possession on the annexation of the Punjab in 18*9. The stone can be traced with accuracy to the year 1304, when it was acquired by the Sultan Alaedilin from the Rajah Malwa, in whose family it had been for many generations. In 1526 it passed by conquest to Humaimu, the son of the Sultan Balm, and later was used as the eye of a peacock in the marvellous peacock throne of Auruni/ezibe. One of the rarest gems in Queen Victoria's collection is a green diamond of marvellous beauty. It has never been set She owna three crowns. The most artistic one. which was made over forty years ago, is of gold, literally covered with diamonds. It is composed of 2.673 white diamonds and 523 rubies, besides many smaller' stones. Before this crown was made the Queen wore a' gold band studded with precious stones. This band is to be seen in most of her earlier portraits. THE GREAT CROWN. which rests in the, tower, is over a hundred years old. It is brought out when the Queen opens Parliament in person. All the princesses of the Imperial House of Bussia own jewels of immense value. The Crown IVincess of Roumania has many priceless gtms, the most beatutiful being let in a jewelled girdle and breastplate. Tho Austrian crown jewels contain a splendid emerald necklace and the largest single emerald in tho worli*. Among the crown jewels of Saxony are four enormous sapphires unrivalled for beauty and colouring. The French crown jewels were once, famed for their beauty and value, but they have been mostly disp.-rs;d and are now owned by collectors and millionaires.