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Introduction: The Diamond in History

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INTRODUCTION.
29
that of the most celebrated for magnitude and beauty the whole number in Europe scarcely amounts to half a dozen, all of which are in possession of sovereign princes.* This statement must be considered from a Koh-i-Nür stand-point, and is, no doubt, true, if those gems only be taken into account which weigh 100 carats and upwards. But the number must be in­creased 10 times if we include all weighing 30 carats and upwards. John Murray, writing in 1838, remarks that the number of diamonds of the weight of 36 carats and above, known to exist in Europe at that time, " do not really amount to more than 19." Since then the number has been considerably in­creased, especially by the yield from the South African fields. How many of this size there may be in the Portuguese treasury,f the richest in Europe, is not fully known. But it is in evidence that at the sale of the late Duke of Brunswick's effects in Geneva, the list of diamonds included no less than seven weighing from 37 to 81 carats.f As little was known of these stones till attention was called to them on this occasion they should probably be added to the 19 referred to by Murray in 1838.
All things considered, the actual number of diamonds over 30 carats in weight now existing in
Introduction: The Diamond in History Page of 312 Introduction: The Diamond in History
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