CANCELLED GIFT

Hokitika Guardian, 28 April 1933, Page 7

CANCELLED GIFT

JEWELS FOR a QUEEN. •A •STORY’ OF LONG AGO. Ths story of a gift intended. for a queen, but which, fo»- over haif a century, has been treasured in Australia, lies behind the sale of a diamondstudded bracelet and' pendant in .Sydney lately. The history of the jewels, as related by the old lady in whose possession they have been for many years, jfe that they were subscribed for by members of a well-known Sydney club in 1879. They were .intended for presentation to vy_. Alexandra, then Princess of Wales, whom the subscribers expected in Sydney to open the Garden Exhibition. The, visit did not takiy place, and the jewels were purchased by a member of the group. He presented them to his wife, and, after her death, to the old lady. She has now disposed of the jewels to a Sydney doctor, who is about to leave for England with them.

The bracelet and pendant are of 15 carat gold, rich and massive, and are set with diamonds, whose weight must aggregate at least 15 carats. The gold shows no sign of the passing of time, and the diamonds are as secure as in the days they were set. Mad P during a period of world prosperity, the bracelet and pendant reflect the high do. velopmpnt of the cutter’s art, ns the result of the keen demand made on his services during the years known as "the diamond ora,’' I

Mr ,E. J, Coote was serving his npj prenticeship at the time the articles were produced, end he says he is of the 1 op’Von that both were made in Australia. by a craftsman trained overseas. Three months is Mr CooteYs estimate of the time required for the completion. Their original cost, he estimates, was about 250 guineas, and to-day, at Christie’s, they should .bring at least £SOO. “Both pieces of jewellery, typical of the Victorian period, are examples of the type of ornament that had .just had its day.’’ Mr Coote says. “As an example of the work of the period that was in 1879, there, j could b e nothing more beautiful. Even in the British Museum, which houses'a magnificent collection of th P jewel’s of various ages, there are no finer examples of the ornaments of the 'Victorian period. ’ ILMllW— mill 9m lIMITm