NA Price Mahal HE most pre- cious emerald in the world recently. came out of mysterious India on a long urney to Amer- ea. along with a million dpllars' worth of other pre- cious gems. And this glittering for tune in jewels was brought safely through a dozen possible dangers with mo other guard than that of the Indian owner, Ganeshi Lall, and his native ser- vants. The goal of this pil grimage half 'way around e world was the Sesqui- eentennial _ International Exposition in Philadelphia, where the jewels are be- : \ ing ply among the most priceless ex- amples; of Indian tsmanship. The trip was Made fithout ° ed Tittle da ers that the natives carried for arms being once drawn. Yet a century ago far shorter journeys of the Taj ahal emerald had cost the: lives -of as many m has had owners. For the Taj Mahal emerald is more than a mere jewel without price, as it is known through- out the East. Not only has it d intimately in the colorful history of the Indian courts since early in the seventeenth century, but also it is bound up with the creation of what is acknowl- edged as the most beautiful building in the world, Shah Jahan, Builder of the Famous Taj Mahal Palace and the First Indian Emperor to Possess the Great Priceless Emerald, Which Was Presented to Him b; Wife, the Beautiful Mumtaz Mahal. Rare Taj Jewel the great Taj Mahal palace, in India. Back in the dim mists of Indian history, long before the Declaration of American Independence was signed, which the ui- centennial is now commemorating, the ' Mahal emerald first came into historica notice and being. It was at that period in Eastern history when the I Indian emperors had reached the peak of their power and grandeur, just prior to the final undermining of the sectional dynasties through the most extravagant luxury that the world has ever known and a lo century of merciless conquest and. civ. War. At that time Shah Jahan ruled, and the one figure that was not awed by his pitiless domination was his favorite wife, the beautiful Empress Mumtaz Mahal. One night shortly after her asceation into power she dreamed of a palace more beauti- ful than any other building in the world. A her vision it rose in misty splendor, a wilderness of white towers and dainty pinnacles gleaming against the dusky blue of the Indian akies. . She awoke next morn ing with her mind dream filled. She talked of nothing but her imagi- nary palace. Food she re- fused day after day, de- [nanding only, that her lord and love¥ should find means to fulfill her splen- did desire and make her vision come true. The most celebrated architects of all India were summoned to the Empress one by one Each endeavored ta fulfill her imperial desire, Beauti- ful palaces were sketched. * designs - were submitted. But in vain! All failed to pleaseher. They were not the mate- rialization of her beauti- ful dream. After weeks of hopeless * inquiry, a fakir of no rep- utation at last appeared at the royal court and offered his ser- vices to the Emperor. In despair over his beautiful wife's realis- tic fancy, the great Shah Jahan commanded drawing materials to be brought the strariger. And then, as though inspired by an unseen hand, thé ragged fakir set to work, sketching steadily until an entire set of plans been completed. In haste the newcomer's work was laid before the Empress. Wearily, she at first glanced at the many sheets of paper Then a look of rap- ture swept her lovely face. "My dream come true!" ghe cried, and/swooned from joy. Five thousand men at onee set to work on the fakiz's plans. The new palace took shape, and gra y it rose, tier on tier, until it assumed His Faverite at Tr TF TOR =r Right: Photograph of the Famous Taj Mahal Emerald (Actual Size) Showing the Elaborate Lotus ign Carved on the Face of the Gem to Match the Frieze on the Gorgeous Palace of the Same Name. the peerless magnifi- cence that it still maintains, even in this e. And each day the Empress visited the work, glorying in the realization of what had at first seemed to . her but a hopelessly beautiful vision. As her new palace grew in loveliness, a desire developed in her heart 'o show her . appreciation of her royal master's devo- tion in some way. She would present him with an appropriate gift of worth com- mensurate with his patience in trying to grant what had seemed to him at first an impossible whim. Many beautiful things were brought to her for her approval--tapestries, silks, ms and raré trophies. India was scoured y her agents. Curious articles of West- ern civilization were laid before her, Muscovite works of art gifted down from Russia and fabulous wenders from the ar East and China were brought for her inspection. At last a rare emerald was shown to her, its startling beauty of color and brilliance having no equal in the then § civilized world. "Only Jerisction is worthy of my Em-, peror.," e royal lady is reported as exclaiming. "And this has the perfection J of all India. Look! The flashing green of its oceans, the green of its sparkling ture lands and the soothing en of the ungles. 'Shah Jahan has created Lio me the aj Mahal Palace, one of the wonders of our world. To him I will give this wonder of the sjawel world. And it shall be mown as the Taj hy ne lled the fi q she calle e finest gem engravers of the kingdom and had the great emerald deli- cately earved with a fine tracery of lotus blossoms and roses. The carving was that which was appearsk on the walls of the Ta) Mahal, and J BATS > pie ae RR pms a SUE CIPRO i A= IRAN which long years afterward was to appear on her own tomb. And one night when the great Shah Jahan had turned from the affairs of state and conquest to the charm of his favorite's com- panionship, she , drew the dazzling gift from her bosom and laid it before him, a royal surprise. . Such was the earliest re- corded history of the great Taj Mahal emerald. But in the turbulent, bloody days that werk to follow much of its three centuries of wan- dering has become obscured. Oécasionally it would bob up in the historical limelight of some beautiful woman whose eyes had changed to match the glitter of "the wonder of the jewel world." It came into the hands of Ganeshi Lall, its present owner and a member of the second high- est caste in India, in a typically Indian fashion. Since then many have tried to obtain the emer- ald from Lall, but with no success. Foremost among these have been Princess Mohnesa, called India's most beautiful woman, who offered a for tune for the gon. For years Ganeshi Lall has traveled in quest of * rare and beautiful art objects of his native coun- try, and now he is internationally known as the outstanding authority on ancient Indian art. Three years ago word reached Lall that the famous Taj Mahal emerald, lost sight of for many generations, was in the possession of a certain man, descendant of a distinguished family, but now facing starvation. Eventually the great A must come into the jewel markets of the world. Lall did not hesitate a day. He rushed north, made the acquaintance of the owner of the emer- ald and placed a servant on uard at the man's house to report if other art seekers came there. Then followed & curious bargeiuing. For three years Lall paid polite homage to owner of the gem, visiting frequently and bringing pres- ents to all the family on éach visit.. Among other gifts was an automobile and all told they amount- ed to more than $15,000. Yet never once was the great emerald mentioned. At last starvation pushed the owner to the point where it was necessary that he sell Dis only possession, the emerald. One night he showed it to Lall with never a word of price. Next day Lall placed a check in his hand, a check for a large for- tune. And without even glancing at the amount, the owner turne over the gem, the Taj Mahal emerald, to his friend, the art con- noisseur, When Lall, recently decided to bring his most precious possession to Ameri along with many other ewels, he did not hire an elaborate dy-guard, equip them with re- volvers and make arrangements for armored truce to meet him. Instead, wise to the ways of his ple and the great jewe jeves, he chose five of his most - trustwo servants These natives have spent most of their lives quired. ing the treasures Lall, all are more than six feet tall. silent of movement, speechless when it comes to their master's business, and armed with short, slim daggers tucked away in the wide sashes of their girdles. Without the slightest mishap, but watched dur- ing every second of his long trip by st least two pairs of eyes, Lall jour neyed from India to - national jewel thieves more than onee is a cer tainty, due to many sus- fcious circumstances. But never once did they 'come within striking dis- tance. Lall himself cantied the a crown jewel of the double string of emeralds made said to ha stones which are ) i of Seareniig, that of Jahan Gir and n, the two men who ruled in India when its art bad reached the of Bi glory, THT f \ i ay | | i / h LY ON » ? ' ¥ 5 »