beryl, emerald, Colombia, Crowns., South America History To 1806., gems

Sinkankas: Describes the famous Crown of the Andes, made from gold and set with numerous emeralds, and donated to the Catholic Church of the city of Popayan, Colombia by grateful citizens when they were spared from an attack of the plague which affected other communities in the year 1590 . The crown was begun in 1593 and finished in 1599. The text gives its history up to the time when dire need impelled the city to sell the crown, for which purpose a Papal dispensation was obtained in 1914 to sell it to Czar Nicholas II of Russia. However, events in Europe halted the sale and after many years it was finally sold to a syndicate of buyers from the United States. This handsome and rare pamphlet is richly illustrated and contains much useful information.