FAMOUS PEARLS AND COLLECTIONS 469
times
pledged as security for loans made in France and Italy, and it is said
that in 1588, during the reign of Henry III, all the jewels
disappeared from the royal treasury. Henry IV strove to regather the
scattered ornaments, but it was only in the reign of Louis XIV that the
collection became really important. At the time of the French
Revolution, in 1791, an inventory was made by the order of the
National Assembly.
The
jewels were then deposited in the Garde-Meuble, where they were exposed
to public view. Either they were very carelessly guarded, or the
guardians were in collusion with a band of thieves, for the room
wherein they were kept was entered on five successive nights, and when
the theft was finally discovered only about 500,000 francs' ($100,000)
worth of the gems remained. Many of the most valuable objects were,
however, traced and recovered. Napoleon I, when he became emperor, made
every effort to enrich the treasure, and purchased gems to the value of
6,000,000 francs ($1,200,000), and subsequent rulers added to the
collection on various occasions.
At
the time of the official inventory in 1791 the entire collection of
pearls was estimated at about 1,000,000 francs ($200,000). The finest
specimen in the collection was a splendid round, pearl weighing 109-1/4
grains1 and estimated at 200,000 francs ($40,000), or $366
per grain, on a base of $3.35. Then came two pear-shaped pearls of a
fine orient and well-matched, weighing respectively 117-3/4 and 113
grains, and valued at 300,000 francs ($60,000) or $260 per grain, on a
base of $2.25. In addition to the above there were twenty-five
separate round pearls which had constituted the necklace of the queen
; they ranged in weight from 36 to 165-1/2 grains, and were valued at
about 90,000 francs ($18,000). Beside the pear-shaped pearls to which
we have alluded, there were two other pairs, each valued at 32,000
francs ($6400) for the two pearls; they averaged about 100 grains in
weight. In addition to these there were two weighing respectively
175-1/2 and 205-1/4 grains, each valued at 20,000 francs ($4000), and
seven others ranging in weight from 92-1/2 to 167 grains and valued at
from 10,000 to 15,000 francs ($2000 to $3000). The best oval pearl was
one weighing seventy-six and one half grains and estimated at 20,000
francs ($4000) ; there were two others, one of ninety-three grains,
valued at 12,000 francs ($2400), and one of 121 grains, valued at
10,000 francs ($2000). We may also mention an egg-shaped pearl weighing
145-1/4 grains, estimated as worth 10,000 francs ($2000), and a button
pearl of 198 grains entered at 15,000 francs ($3000). Beside these
separate pearls there were eleven strings comprising 310 pearls,
weighing in all 6778 grains and valued
1 See p. 461.
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