FABULOUS HOARD

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 25 November 1927, Page 5

FABULOUS HOARD

JEWELS IN TURKISH SERAGLIO EXPERT RENDERED BREATH LESS. ALADDIN’S CAVE SUPERSEDED. [By Cable — Press Assn. — Copyright.! (Received 25, 8.55 a.m.) London, Nov. 23. The “Gazettee” states: “No Crown jewels in Europe approach those of the Turkish seraglio,” declared Mr. John Johnsson, a Swedish jeweller, who has returned from a commission to give expert opinion on them. “I was breathless when confronted with the fabulous hoard of pearls, diamonds, emeralds and rubies displayed in heaps, and the innumerable gold and silver articles set with jewels.” The handle of one dagger is carved from a single emerald; the throne is of pure gold ornamented with 20,000 pearls and 1000 rubies and emeralds. Many of the gates are guarded by armed men to protect the entrance to the seraglio, and the united efforts of eight men is required to open, the last gate. The seraglio is the former residence of the Sultan in Constantinople. It crowns the most easterly of the city’s seven hills and is surrounded by a wall two miles round. The buildings were commenced in 1468, but since 1839 it has been gradually allowed to fall into decay. It contained the Sultan’s harem, government buildings, mosques, etc.