 |
| Agra diamond, of India origin pinrest.com |
 |
| Famous Agra diamond famousdiamonds.tripod.co |
Above image: Originally acquired from the Maharajah of Gwalior, MP, Agra Diamond, had a long journey with many owners. Today it is in the safe custody of SIBA corporation in Hong Kong who purchased this diamond after a tough bidding at Christie's' Auction House in 1990....................
Indian subcontinent, during its heyday of its production and major source of export in the areas of spices, sugar and textiles, was also known as the the capital of precious gemstones and diamonds, apart gold . In the later years after late 1700s in the British Empire India was the primary source of diamonds, mostly mined in Kollur mines near Guntur (Now AP . Majority of famous diamonds discovered far before their arrival in India made their way to Britain either as forced gifts to Lords or Dukes or stolen.
There were famous diamond mines in the Golconda kingdom with capital near Hyderabad (now one of the world IT centers), Kollur or Golconda mines were then part of Golconda kingdom. The other one was Panna diamond mines in Madhya Pradesh. Both Kollur and Panna diamond mines are defunct now. Geological Survey of India (GSI) was making efforts to revive the mines, but they have not succeeded so far.
In 1526, Babur, the first Mogul emperor, in a decisive battle against the Gwalior Rajah, conquered the city of Agra (later the home of the Taj Mahal). He used to wear it in his turban as a piece of jewelry. His son spared the lives of the incumbent Rajah and his family, and was given the Agra diamond among a cache of jewels as a token of gratitude.
The famous pink diamond changed many hands at many times during the regime changes. From the Moguls it was taken away by Nadir Shah of Persia (1736-1747). During the British rule it is said Agra diamond was smuggled out of India to Europe in the 1840s. It was purchased on November 8th of 1844 by Charles, Duke of Brunswick, from Blogg & Martin,a well-known firm of diamond merchants in London at that time.
A note in the sales display catalog specifically mentions the diamond as having been taken by Babur in Agra in 1526. From the Moguls it was taken away by Nadir Shah of Persia (1736-1747). Later Agra diamond was owned Bram Hertz, Paris 1880, Edwin Streeter, Bond Street Jeweller, London in 1891; LaCloche Frères in 1904; Christie, Manson and Woods February 22, 1905; Max Meyer, London, in 1905, a Private collector in 1927; After several years and many owners at last on June 20, 1990 at Christie's' auction it was acquired by Qipco.
There is an interesting account about how the famous Agra diamond was smuggled out of India in 1857 by a few British officers of the English company.Their intention was to share the sale proceeds in London. They hatched a plan and their modus operandi was almost similar to that of the legend of Trojan horse. But the British Bobs used an ordinarily 'live critter'- horse. They hid the diamond in some horse feed, had a horse eat it and then ship it back to Britain. Unfortunately the horse fell sick died midway. They took thr diamond from the dead horse's stomach and took it to England, where it was eventually sold to Edwin Streeter, a famous London jeweler.
 |
| Edwin Streeter purchased the Agra diamond in 1891 www.internetstones.com |
 |
| The marble wonder Taj at Agra,India. twobritts.com |
This story is a debatable one in the absence of proven documents Records show that the Agra diamond changed many hands in the mid 19th CE It was purchased on November 8th of 1844 by Charles, Duke of Brunswick, from Blogg & Martin,a well-known firm of diamond merchants in London at that time.
One possible explanation for this discrepancy in the story is that, the diamond purportedly eaten by the horse, was not the same stone. The other sources that support the story have stated that the smuggled stone in 1857 weighed 46 carats rather than 41 carats.
In 1899 in Paris, the Agra diamond was cut down to 31.41 carats by the jeweler Bram Hertz, The same diamond was put up for auction by Christi's' in 1990
(Revised version of https://www.navrangindia.in/2014/12/story-of-famous-agra-diamond-of-india.html) .
https://famousdiamonds.tripod.com/agradiamond.html
https://in.pinterest.com/pin/53339576813317545/
www.handddiamonds.co.uk/the-agra-diamond-famous-diamonds/
https://www.luxurylearnings.com/post/the-tale-of-diamonds-agra
){kind=link}