298 Pearls. 



It is said that Napoleon I. possessed a Pearl of 

 about 160 grains weight, but no trace of it has 

 ever been found. 



The Municipality of Florence possessed for a 

 long time a magnificent single row of Pearls. After 

 the restoration in 1849, this was borrowed by the 

 Grand Duchess, who having once obtained possession 

 of this prize, was in no hurry to return it. 



The Crown Prince of Germany gave the Princess 

 Royal of England, on their marriage, a Pearl neck- 

 lace valued at ;^2o,ooo, but the Pearls are not all 

 round, and some are baroque. 



The Devonshire Cabinet contains an enormous 

 Pearl, of the finest lustre, but singularly mis-shapen. 

 This Pearl has been skilfully converted into the 

 body of a very graceful mermaid. It was at one 

 time valued at ;^2,ooo, but at the present day, 

 large ill-shapen Pearls are of comparatively little 

 value. North-Western Australia having yielded 

 several examples, their value has dropped fully 75 

 per cent. 



Among other Pearls of unusual magnitude and 

 beauty, mention may be made of the magnificent 

 Pearl of 40 grains weight, found on December 26, 

 1884, in the Montebello Archipelago, as narrated 



