MRS ASTOR'S SHAM PEARLS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 746, 19 February 1910, Page 10

MRS ASTOR'S SHAM PEARLS.

.There have;l»ehj so majiy, stories lately , of /connoisseurs .being: deceived .by :sham objects of .ait that' the''ignoriSt ordinary person a; higher. 1 idea' of his, own,; judgment. The-latest discovery ,bf .deception;.is";in : conncction with the jewels of ; the late .Mrs.,; William , Astbr, for maiiy ~years the queen ,of the American plutocracy. 'Her. jewels were famous on two continents, and/says an Americiin correspondent, social. New -York ..experienced a-great aurpriseiat the apprisal for taxes of-.the.cstate of .Mre. 'William iitor.- - her .: estate,;' is valued at - about •£350,000, some of -the details concerning her ..furniture and jewellery have caused a shook to. those who,:formerly were impressed- by;, their-magnificence'.-,. For'in--stance/ th^'ifamous, pearl,:, necklace, .about; which -hundreds; i>f, paragraphs, bavo- lxxill printed fit.variousitimes in the American, press,, is .shown to ;be more, than half, paste,-' but: so.,;.perfectly . ,wero; the .false jewels-, blended . ;ieal pearls (that only - connoisseurs; could, have,,,told.., Thehouso funiishiiigs ..of-„the ;New York man.-; sion;': are : ; antiquated . and-, - moth-eaten. Many of-- the paintings reputed , to. be by great, masters are "shown"to'.'be merely copies, .and iho rugs about, the house were so, torn and .worn out that . they had to bo tacked to .the floors. In the ballroom, about-which eo-much has-been written,the - gilt' chairs were,: appraised: at 155." each, "and .the grand piano at '.£ls.' Everything about the ballroom: was cheap and tawdry.; All her .jewels-and "some of her, personal property wore bequeathed to her.son, Colonel John' Astor,:while.her' daughters,, 'Mrs.; Ormo Wilson ' and Mra; Ogilvy Haig, share,equally in the,^estate.i —Special:- Telegram. ;;-i