SPORTING

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3460, 14 April 1920, Page 5

SPORTING

REEFTON RACES.

REEFTON, This Day The weather glorious, the course good, and the attendance largo. Peace Handicap.——Pa,raform 1, Parlovna 2. Cheer Up 3. Also» ran: Tyson. War Tax. Chudic,— Greekson, Hokitika. and Rowa. Won ‘by 3 length. Time 1.11.

A PRINCES' JEWELS.

SALE OF A COLLECTION VALUEQ £750,000. _

GENEVA

A public sale has been‘ held at the‘ Palace Hotel, Lausanne, of one of that finest and richest collections of jewels: in ‘Europe, the property -of the I-a.tef Russian Princess Vera. Lobonoff, Wllo.’ died at evey recently. , '

Experts aditfer regarding the value: of the collection, which is estimated{ at £400,000 to £750,000, or even! more. High prices will probably be fetched owing to the great demanc! at present throughout’ the World fpz‘. precious stones. Keen competition is also expected during the week be tween leading dealers from New‘. York, London, Paris, Amsterdam, and!’ Geneva. No dealers have arriveci from Russia, Germany, or Austria.‘ owing to the low exchanges in those’ countries. '

The princess, who was a courii beauty at Petrograd 50 years ago, was: 'lefl-. a. large fortune by her husbanti at an early age, and made a, hobby of collecting precious gems in Europe, at a timewhen 100 roubles were Worth‘ 266 «francs. Now, under the Bolshea vist regime, they are Worth 7 fra.ncs.v The display is one of dazzling beauty, the jewels Ibeing arranged in small: pyramids of pearls, rubies; emerals,‘ sapphires, moonstones, and bijuu< Watches, while diax_llond tiaras and pearl necklaces, several of Which‘ were presented by the R'omanoff.s, form the most expensive items. The Princess had never re-visited Russia since 1904. 1'

It is stated that her heirs are the princely Russian family of Dolgor-uky,_ who have been greatly impoverished’

by the war.