DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY 
69 
Hall 32. 
H. N. Higinbotham Hall. 
GEMS AND JEWELS. 
The collection of gems and precious stones that, during the 
World’s Columbian Exposition, attracted so much attention at 
the Tiffany pavilion in the Manufactures Building, and in the 
gallery of the Mines and Mining Building, occupies the central 
cases in this hall. It is one of the most complete collections 
in existence, for it contains nearly every known gem or precious 
stone, in the finest cut examples, as well as crystals, cleavages 
or rolled grains, always of gem value. Many of the objects in 
the collection are of historical interest and w^orld-wide reputation. 
Case i. — Handsome objects made of rhodonite, jasper, and 
varieties of rare gem stones found in the Ural mountains, Asiatic 
Russia. Prominent objects are a rhodonite jewel casket, rho- 
donite ink stand, two rhodonite coupes of rare markings, with 
jasper bases. Rhodonite is a favorite stone with the imperial 
family of Russia. 
Three fruit pieces of realistic effect made at Ekaterinburg, 
Asiatic Russia, composed of the following hard and rare gem 
stones found in the Ural mountains: Raspberries of rhodonite, 
blackberries of amethyst, white currants of chalcedony, plums 
of onyx and sard, mulberries of citrine, black currants of onyx 
and red currants of sard. The bases are of Kalkansky jasper 
and the leaves of precious serpentine. 
A composite bust of Empress Eugenie; feathers, opals and 
red jasper; hat, sard; hair, sard; face, chalcedony; collar, blood- 
stone; beads, yellow jasper; dress panel, lapis-lazuli; body, 
sard. 
Cane of solid silver, inlaid with discs of turquoise from 
Kurdistan, southwest Asia. 
Florentine mosaic of marble, malachite, etc., representing 
the “Fall of Rome.” 
Case 2. — Engraved diamond bust of King William II. of 
Holland, executed by DeVrees, of Amsterdam, which required 
all of his spare time for five years. Was shown in 1878, at the 
Paris Exposition. 
A diamond crystal adhering to common boart, from Kim- 
berley, South Africa. 
