Leisure hours among the gems

by Augustus C. Hamlin

Among them may be seen the beautiful crowns and coronets of the late Emperor and Empress. The crown of the Emperor is of magnificent workmanship, and dazzles the eye with the splendor of its gems. In outline it resembles the dome-formed patriarchal mitre, which was a favorite shape among the Byzantines. Upon the summit appears a cross formed of five beautiful diamonds, which is also supported by a large spinel ruby, polished, but not faceted. This ruby and cross are supported by a foliated arch composed of eleven great diamonds and rising from the back and front of the base of the crown. On either side of this central arch is attached a hoop formed of thirty-eight large and perfect pearls. The spaces on either side of these arches are filled with leaf-work and ornaments in silver, incrusted with diamonds underlaid with the richest purple velvet. The band which forms the base of the crown is of gold, and is ornamented with twenty-eight magnificent diamonds.

The coronet of the Empress is thought to be the most beautiful collection of diamonds ever presented to the view in a single ornament. It is composed of four very large diamonds of the purest water, and eighteen others of slightly smaller size, together with a multitude of lesser diamonds of exquisite water. The flash of these beautiful gems reminds the observer of a collection of rainbows.

Among the other regalia of this collection may be seen the most remarkable necklace of diamonds in Europe. In the links which form the chain are twenty-two huge brilliants of great value, and, as pendants to the connecting chain, fifteen other diamonds of surprising size appear, forming an ornament of great beauty.

In this room may also be seen the plume of Russia’s great general, Suvaroff. It is an aigrette composed entirely of diamonds of wonderful lustre, and was the gift of the Sultan of Turkey.

Among the curiosities preserved here are the Order of Saint Andrew, mounted with five pink diamonds; also two of the famous Siberian beryls,—one green, the other blue,—surrounded in their settings with diamonds.

In the museum of the Hermitage, adjoining the Winter Palace, may be seen one of the finest and largest collections of gems in the world. It is composed of choice selections from some of the most celebrated cabinets that have been formed in Europe during the past two centuries, and comprises the better portions of those known as the collection of the Duke of Orleans (Philippe Egalité), that of the famous Strozzi, and that of the Beverly, which had been formed under the direction of the learned antiquary Dutens. The cabinet is not only extremely valuable in its art treasures, in the form of engraved gems and cameos, ancient, mediæval, and modern, but it is a noble monument of the good taste and liberality of the sovereigns of Russia. The description of these alone would require a ponderous volume.

In another gallery in the same palace may be seen the plume of Prince Potemkin, glittering with gems of the purest ray, presented to him by the Sultan of Turkey; also the two magnificent bouquets of artificial flowers composed of the finest colored diamonds, topazes, pearls, sapphires, rubies, and other gems, which rival in their hues the most beautiful of the productions of the vegetable kingdom; the identical parrot which was carved from a single emerald, and given by King Pedro II. of Portugal, to his bride, the Princess of Savoy; together with a vast number of priceless objects of virtu of various ages, many of them profusely decorated with interesting and valuable gems. The Hermitage, like the Green Vaults at Dresden, is one of the jewel-boxes of the civilized world.

In the museum of the School of Mines at St. Petersburg may be seen the finest collection of the gems in their natural and rough condition in the world, not even excepting the magnificent collections of the British Museum, or that of the Jardin des Plantes in Paris. The glittering treasures of Siberia are here displayed in lavish profusion. Natural crystals of diamond, of chrysoberyl, of topaz, beryl, and emerald attest, by their beautiful forms, the great mineral wealth of that vast country. The crystals of emerald are enormous and exceed in size all others in the world. The topazes are unsurpassed in their beauty and variety of tints. The collection of beryls is truly wonderful, and contains specimens of exquisite color and of great value. They may be seen not only of green, blue, white, and yellow, but even pink, which is an exceedingly rare hue for this mineral. The cabinet of tourmalines is superb, and nobly illustrates the beauty and variety of colors and forms of that wonderful mineral.

In the arsenal of the Alexander Palace may be seen a curious and valuable collection of arms and armor of all ages, and among them many ornaments beautifully worked in precious stones. Prominent among them are the two sets of horse-gear which came as presents from the Sultan of Turkey. The first is a souvenir of the conclusion of that peace which was signed at Adrianople when the Cossacks had passed the barriers of the Balkan Mountains and almost clutched the long-coveted prize of Istamboul in their grasp. It is superb in its construction, with its mountings and stirrups of gold, and its velvet trappings studded with flashing diamonds. But the second saddle is even far superior in its ornaments and its effects to the first. It is indeed a glorious specimen of Persian handicraft and ornamentation, and worthy of one of the heroes of the Arabian Nights. It fairly glitters with the multitude of diamonds of which it is composed, and some of which are of great size and wondrous lustre. It is indeed a barbaric mine of wealth.

This costly present was given to the Czar by the Sultan after the fatal battle of Konieh, when the Porte supplicated Russia to send an auxiliary force to defend a tottering throne against the attacks of a rebellious vassal.