Page:A treatise on diamonds and precious stones including their history Natural and commercial.djvu/129

 man of great taste and judgment, from whose collection it was, for a valuable consideration, transferred to Mr. Hope.

Oriental Amethyst is extremely scarce, and I have rarely seen one offered for sale, unless very small and inferior in color.

THE ORIENTAL TOPAZ of a light yellow or straw color, and when pure possesses great beauty. It occurs in the same localities with the preceding, is less common than the Sapphire, but not so rare or valuable as the Ruby or Amethyst. When perfect, and skilfully cut and polished, it is highly splendent, and resembles the yellow diamond, for which it may have been sold.

gem is also of considerable value: a perfect stone of twelve carats, of the finest qua-