£10,000 DIAMOND
BED CROSS JEWEL BRINGS •£35,575 • {
April is tho month of, innocence, and (he diamond is its emblem, just as tho samo previous 6ton© stands for the Virgin m the Zodiac, yet above all tho diamond is tho symbol of tho sun. And we wero all sun-worshippers at Christie's yesterday (says the London "Daily Telegraph" of April 11), when the Red C-ross diamond flashed, and showed how easily one-sixth of any bill for electric light could be saved. _ It was surely such a light as this that Noah, according to the legend, used for tho illumination of his ark.
Presented to the Red Cross by the Diamond Syndicate, and found in the De Beers mines in 1901, this fine yellow diamond of 205 carats, without blemish, is in the true hierarchy, beginning with the stone Jahalom, representing tho tribe of Gad, in the saci'ed breastplate of the son. of Aaron, Eleazc-r, the High Priest. By a happy chance its facets revealed the Maltese Cross, associated with the Knights Hospitallers, and in every sense the superb, gift was appropriate to the noble cause which is being- upheld at Christie's.
Thus it was introduced to a. crowded company by Mr. Anderson, tho auctioneer, who asked that the "aptly christened" stono 6hould bo rewarded with generous bidding. A start of J?3000 was made, and soon an eager competitor tailed "Fifty-five," an unusual version at Christie's of .£5500. A still more uncommon incident then happened, for Mr. Lance Hannen, tho-well-known member of the firm (standing next to Sir Robert Hudson, the chairman of the Red Cross), began bidding himself. "It is many years since I made a bid in out own rooms," he afterwards explained to us, "but I was empowered to .use my discretion on behalf of a client who insists on being unnamed."
At ,£!)800 Mr. Hannen convinced himself that he was at. the end of bis tether, and tho next advanco to JCIO.OOO was declared by Mr. Anderson to be tho conquering bid of Mr. S. J. Phillips, who won the Cassel porringer oiv tho prcvi r ous day. Although some enthusiasts were hopeful of a bigger result, the colder experts had estimated <£9000 as an excellent maximum, and the end proved the correctness of tliei'' judgment.
So densoly packed was the crowd, to witness the event that n South African visitor likened the atmosphere of the room to that of a mine in Griqualand, yet the majority of the visitors were ardent bidders throughout a remarkable sale. Long before the diamond was offered fins fighting qualities had been displayed. The brilliant collet necklace presented by Mrs. Graham, in realising tho surprising sum of =£5000 (Carrington), would be a notable event in any sale; and another brilliant necklace, given by Mrs. A. L. Bartlctt, brought .£1420, the bid of the veteran Mr. J. M. Jones. Iu fact, over <£14,000 was totalled ' before the Red Cross diamond was reached. The third lot at the opening of'.the sale, a pair of-pearl earrings sent anonymously, produced <£4CO (Mrs. Howell). Soon Lady Newdigate's brilliant cross pendant fell to Mr. Caldccott, of Birmingham (armed with many commissions from that city), at ,£SOO, and Mr. Carrington gave .£4OO for Mr. Percy Graham's single brilliant mounted as a scarf-pin. The same purchaser won twice, at <£140 each time, an anonynms pearl necklace, and another at .£420, the gift of Mrs. Baillie. Immediately after the sale of the Bed Cross diamond, Lady Byon, DJ3.E.. bought back her own cat's-eye and brilliant pendant at <£1500, and a quick succession of sparkling events culminated in a bid of JC2700 (S. H. Harris) for tho Viscount and Viscountess Hambleden's present of a brilliant chain. The gusto of competition was maintained to the end. Mrs. Wadham's oblong brilliant went with a bound to .£SOO (Campbell); and Mr. J. M. Jones gpe <£325 for Mrs. H. Joseph's diamond collar. .
Not to 1)B confused with the Red Cross pnarl necklace, which is being studded yith selected pearls daily, two pearl necklaces given early by lady helpers appeared yesterday. The first of eighty-one pearls, go?s to Birmingham at Mr. Caldecott's bid of .£I3OO. and the second, of 106 small pearls, twice offered, helped with .£270. Tile aggregate of the day's genuine and enthusiasts devotion was the astonishing sum of ,£35,575.
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Bibliographic details
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Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 223, 8 June 1918, Page 10
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715£10,000 DIAMOND Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 223, 8 June 1918, Page 10
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