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    Jewels Archived Message

    Posted by Dawn on June 25, 2015, 8:50 pm

    Source: Library of Congress newspaper collection.

    Some of you were talking about rubies, so I looked up some information in the Library of Congress newspaper collection. Here's some pieces of news about rubies and other jewels I came across so far.

    From "The Caucasian" (Clinton, N.C.; dated 15 December 1910)....

    (Florence Nightingale died on August 13, 1910, whose death was mentioned here)

    "Queen Victoria presented her (Florence Nightingdale) a ruby-red enamel cross, emblazoned with jewels, and engraved with the words: 'Blessed are the merciful.'"

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    From "Freeland Tribune" (Freeland, PA) dated 5 November 1894:

    "Mrs. Green, the nurse who had been attended the infant Prince [future King Edward VIII], lately received from Queen Victoria a ruby brooch; from the Duke and Duchess, a diamond and sapphire one, and from the Duke alone, a gold one containing a lock of the baby's hair." (I would presume "the Duke and Duchess" must be of York, the infant's parents)

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    From "The Sun" (dated September 23, 1906)(I forgot to write down the city and state):

    "Of her personal jewels, next to her wedding ring, the late Queen Victoria most valued an insignificant enamel ring, set with a single diamond, given to her by Prince Albert when she was yet a child; and his bethrothal ring, a snake set with the finest emeralds.

    These three rings were never removed from her hand and were buried with her. Much treasured, too, was the bracelet she always wore, composed of a numerous array of small golden hearts, each with a minute miniature of one of her grandchildren or great-grandchildren.

    Queen Alexandra, in addition to a safeful of diamonds and pearls, owns some wonderful colored gems--rubies, sapphires and emeralds--which, however, she rarely wears. The only colored stones she really likes are amethysts, and these she has given, at Christmas and on their fete days, to her friends and relatives in such numbers, set in scarf pins, bangles, chains, hat pins and sunshade tops, that she has quite popularized the stone, hitherto little valued in England. With dresses of her favorite color, mauve, the Queen always wears amethysts.

    The jewels she (Queen Alexandra) values above all are her engagement ring, set with a beryl, emerald, ruby, topaz, jacinth, emerald--the first letters of which spell out the name by which she has always called her husband, "Bertie"; the beautiful diamond cross given to her by the women of Denmark on her marriage, and the crown of brilliants, set in silver, bestowed by the women of England on her silver wedding day.

    The most splendid jewels Queen Alexandra possesses are undoubtedly her pearls. She has ropes and ropes of them; high dog collars and pearls set in trimmings for the corsages of her ball gowns. These have been collected and given to her by the Czar and her sister, the Dowager Empress of Russia, as well as by members of the English, Danish, and German royal families, many being old heirlooms.

    "Queen Victoria sent a ruby and diamond bangle---a very small one, tis true, but still Victorian" to a singer called Patti.

    End of quotes from this newspaper. I was not sure who Patti was. I checked the Internet and this lady is more likely Adelina Patti, the Spanish opera singer, who lived from 1843 to 1919.

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    From 'The Salt Lake Herald' (Salt Lake City, Utah; dated August 7, 1898)(this news also was mentioned in the "The Times" newspaper from Washington, D.C., on this same date):

    Under this caption: "Queen Victoria Possesses the Most Valuable Diamond in the World"

    This quote: 'She owns a marvelous green diamond that has never been set....."

    Do you know anything about this green diamond or whether this green diamond has ever been cut and set in a piece of jewelry?






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