Beaver County News | 1919-12-17 | Page 17 | Lady Astor has Rare Gem

LADY ASTOR HAS .RARE GEM Diamond She Owns Was Worn by "Queen Bess," Marie Antoinette, Antoi-nette, and James I. The new Viscountess Astor is the owner of the famous Sancy diamond, which is set in magnificent tiara somewhat some-what similar to the gala head-dress of the Russian national costume. The Sancy 'diamond is "Friolette"' that ip, cut equally on all sides a condition which bewildered modern jewelers, who found It difficult to set the stone safely. J The stone has a romantic history, j De Sancy, a Frenchman, sold the gem ' to Queen Elizabeth, who wore the J stone in London, as did James I and J the duke of Buckingham. Henrietta 1 Maria took the Sancy to Taris1 after I her husband's execution. It became part of the French crown jewels, and j was worn by Marie Antoinette. It was valued at a million francs ($200,000) by the French republican government, was stolen, and reappeared among the Spanish crown jewels in the middle of the last century. After the revolution revolu-tion of Isabella II It passed to the Maharajah of Patialia, was exhibited In 1807 in Paris, and was bought by the late Viscount Astor shortly be- fore his wife's death In 1804. i