prominent
quality was doubtless used at first descriptively, and became later by
custom established in the nomenclature of gems. There was little use
for the name in western Europe until the fourteenth century, as the
stone was not generally known, and there were few of any importance in
Europe until long after. A Portuguese writer of the sixteenth century
claimed that all stones over 30 mangelins (37 1/2 carats) were the
droit of the rulers of the countries where they were found. Another
writer a century later said that at Golconda the reigning prince
claimed all stones of, ten carats and over. As late as 1838, John
Murray stated there were but 19 diamonds of 36 carats and up, in
Europe. It has been asserted that not more than 100 stones over 30
carats each were in existence about the time of the African
discoveries, of which perhaps half were in Europe. One old writer
mentioned as a thing hard to believe, that he himself had seen one
weighing 140 carats and had heard of another which weighed 250 carats.
In his time (early part of the 19th century) Mawe said he did not think
there were a half a dozen very large diamonds in Europe, and they were
in the hands of sovereign princes. He prcbably had in mind stones over
100 carats, of which there were two each in the crown jewels of Russia
and Portugal, the Austrian " Florentine," and the " Regent" of the
French crown jewels. Tavernier says that before the Coulour or Kollur
mine of India was opened in 1550, the largest found were about ten or
twelve carats. This does not tally with some of the ancient histories
attached to several of the celebrated diamonds of India. The list of
stones published in 1874 at the sale of the Duke of
