Famous Pearls 



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remark: — "I would have ^6,000 to buy me jewels, 

 and ;^ 4,000 to buy me a Pearl chain or necklace." 



In the time of James I. (161 7), the chamberlain 

 consoles himself with the reflection, that "the choice 

 of Pearls and other rare jewels is not touched, 

 among which there is a carquenet of round and 

 long Pearls, rated at ^^"40,000, in the judgment of 

 Lord Digby and others, the fairest that are to be 

 found in Christendom." 



The following is a valuation of the Pearls in 

 the Crown Treasury of France (1791). 



A perfect white round virgin Grains Vaius , 



Pearl, weighing 388 — ^8,000 



2 pear shaped Pearls each ... 214 12,000 



4 » » » together 399 2,560 



6 round Pearls, together ... 772 j 2,400 



... 232 880 



... 408^3 1,200 



... 4643-^^ 1,320 



... 628J 960 



... 392^ 728 



... 7^2l 448 



At the present day these Pearls, which doubt- 

 less were of the purest and finest description, would 

 be worth a far larger sum than the amounts named. 



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