dollars.
In London during the early part of the nineteenth century, pearls from
Panama of good size and quality brought about four dollars per grain.
About
1865, fine oriental pearls were sold in London for $1.25 to $1.50 per
grain in sizes up to three grains. Over that the price increased
gradually with the size so that five grainers were worth about $2.50
per grain; ten grainers, $5.50 per grain; twenty grainers $13.00 per
grain and thirty grainers about $17.00 per grain. If their fine grade
equalled ours, there has been a remarkable advance in the last forty
years, as fine oriental round pearls of thirty grains to-day, are worth
in the United States $240.00 per grain flat.
Up
to this time and after, prices were quoted very generally by the carat.
Later, the method of reckoning by the square or multiple became more
general, and the price went to about two dollars per carat, in London,
or fifty cents per grain base for ordinary sizes, the larger ones being
valued by the piece according to the individual rarity and particular
qualities, as before. At the Navigator's islands in 1858,
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