'cueclitti'
which reproduced a sound when she walked." As it is stated that this
"star-skirt" was worn over "a white one" it seems as though it must
have been of the kind represented in codices and sculptures, made of
open-work and netlike, and studded with round objects—possibly
pearls—at the crossings or in the centers of the open spaces.
Oil-paintings
of the madonnas represent them with robes richly embroidered with
pearls, and wearing "ropes of pearls." The Virgin of the Rosario, in
the church at Santo Domingo, Mexico, was noted for her pearls, and
there is a small oil-painting of this virgin, in which she is depicted
with a wealth of pearls.
In
the Bohemian National Exposition, held at Prague in 1891, Count
Schwarzenberg exhibited four embroideries, each fourteen by eight
inches. They were embroidered with Bohemian pearls found on his domains
a century or more previous, and contained many thousands of pearls.
In
Hungary pearls have always been the favorite jewels, especially among
the aristocracy, and they have served to adorn the national costume of
both men and women. A century ago nearly every family of distinction
owned a necklace, but most of the pearls were small and of indifferent
quality. Since that time fine pearls have become more usual, and many
wealthy Hungarian families have acquired beautiful pearls of good size
and excellent quality, and many splendid necklaces can now be seen in
Hungary. The following are some of the finest :
A necklace of three large rows, owned by the Archduke Joseph and valued at one million francs.
A
still larger necklace in the possession of Prince Nicholas Esterhazy ;
this, however, is an entailed heirloom, and may not be parted with
without the king's permission.
A very fine necklace of five rows, also an entailed heirloom, owned by Count Maurice Esterhazy.
A
large necklace, possessed by Countess Alois Karoly, wife of the late
ambassador in London. This is another entailed heirloom; its value is
at least a million and a half francs.
An
unusually large necklace of four rows, such as one rarely sees, owned
by the Countess Wenkheim. The pearls are white, and have a good shape,
but not much brilliancy. The average size of these pearls is
approximately twenty-four grains.
An
equally large necklace consisting of a single row, averaging twenty-six
grains, in the possession of Countess Louis Batthyani.
There
are a great many other necklaces of fine quality, worth from 300,000
francs down to 100,000 francs, belonging to families such as those of
Count Joseph Hunyadi, Countess Festetics-Hamilton, Count Landor Nako,
Peer Leo Lanczi, Count Albert Apponyi, Mr. Eugene Dreher, Madame Emma de
