EASTERN JEWEL HOARDS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 200, 23 August 1929, Page 11

EASTERN JEWEL HOARDS

MAY BE SENT WEST SOME RECENT ROBBERIES Excitement has been caused among connoisseurs of precious stones by accounts which are coming of the magnificent collection of heirloom jewels and precious stones of the Sultans of Turkey that is probably to be sold in Paris by order of the Dictator, Mustapha Kemal, writes “BID.” in the Manchester Guardian. It is worth hundreds of millions of francs, according to the French experts who were sent to value it. It is especially rich in big emeralds (the most precious of all precious stones), acting as the base of aigrette-holders on turbans and dagger handles. The experts examined a solid gold throne decorated witli no fewer than 22,000 gems! In spite of the prevalence of jewelwearing in Europe and the Americas, it is the East, from Turkey to Cochin China, where by far the greatest wealth of precious stones is to be found. Ever since long before Europe had any jewellery at all, apart from occasional small pearls and clumsy gewgaws of hammered gold, the potentates of Southern Asia exacted tribute of gems, received gifts of gems, had State revenue paid in gems—and banked the family fortune in treasure chests brimming with gems. Gems were tangible wealth a.nd power which the moth could not harm nor the rust corrupt. The Maharajah of Karpurthala, for instance, is nicknamed by precious stone experts ‘ ‘The King of Emeralds,” because his hoard of that stone alone is believed to be the most valualle in the world, worth, in the saleroom, about £900,000. The hoard of the young Maharajah of Jodhpur was in existence and being added to for centuries before the days of the Mogul Empire. He is said to be the owner of that wonderful ring, not mounted but cut out of a great emerald, which was made for Jehangir, son of Akbar, one-time Emperor of Delhi, whose name is engraved on it. It is adorned with a couple of emerald drops and two collets set with rose diamonds and ruby borders. The Great Mogul possessed the biggest ring which has ever been seen. There is nothing quite so big even among the “dinner rings” worn by the wives of modern Pittsburg and Chicago millionaires. Shaped like a wheel and about 3in. across, it was composed of concentric circles of various gems, with a huge sapphire in the middle. The Emperor gave it to a foreign envoy and no one knows where it is now, or whether, indeed, it still exists. , Robberies of these Asiatic jewel hoards are rare, which is not surprising in view of the mass slaughter of | everyone who could possibly havej played an active or passive part in the affair which has followed the discovery of losses in the past. The annais of the Persian Court contain accounts of very ruthless massacres following various Shahs’ requests for the production of this or that pretty trinket which could not be foend. Nowadays, however, most of the hoards of the East are each divided into several sections and turned over to various British banks for safe keeping, though some of the native princes in India still bury their treasure or keep it under guard in a palace strongroom in good old “Arabian Nights” fashion. One of the few robberies of recent times occurred in Bangkok a couple of years ago, when the Chakri Palace was burgled daring the absence of the young King of Siam, Prajadhipok, on his summer holiday at the seaside. The thieves despoiled a jewel-encrusted robe of its gems and got clear away with a number of huge emeralds and diamonds. Their loot was assessed at well over £lOO,OOO.

A precious stone expert of my acquaintance tells me that the most marvellous hoard of jewels in the world is that of the Gaekwar of Baroda. Strings of pearls as big as filbert nuts, a collar of some 50 diamonds, some of which are as big as walnuts; and literally handfuls of sapphires and rubies like grapes are among its contents. In that hoard alone are declared to be many more huge gems than could be found in all the jewellers’ shops of London, Paris and New York combined. They have been accumulating for centuries.