Hope Diamond: The Legendary History of a Cursed Gem - Softcover

Richard Kurin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1588344185 ISBN 13: 9781588344182

Publisher: Smithsonian Books, 2017

Synopsis

The Hope diamond is not only exceptionally beautiful it has a long and incredibly colorful history. That history spread over three continents features diamond mining in India, the French Revolution, the machinations of British King George IV, the Gilded Age in America and a number of very clever jewelers including Pierre Cartier and Harry Winston. In the 20th century, the myth of the Hope diamond curse made the diamond more notorious and famous than ever before, but it is only one small piece of a long and lustrous history.

Dr. Kurin, who is a cultural anthropologist, has spent over a decade on the trail of the Hope, from India, to France, Germany, Russia, Switzerland, and England. His narrative is filled with fascinating places and people from the fabled diamond city of Golconda to the fabulously rich heiress Evalyn McLean to Jackie Kennedy and her pivotal role in one of the Hope's few 20th century trips abroad.

About this title

Review:

In this authoritative history of the Hope Diamond (also known as the French Blue), Kurin describes how the 112 carat deep blue diamond came into the hands of Louis XIV through diamond trader Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, who in turn had bought it from an Indian mine. (Although rumors persist that Tavernier took the gem from the eye of a Hindu idol, Kurin says there's no evidence to support this action Tavernier was a respected dealer.) The diamond was recut (reducing its size by half) and kept by the French monarchy until it was stolen during the revolution. It resurfaced, unrecognizable after being cut again, in the possession of London merchant Daniel Eliason in 1812. Some years later, it came into the hands of Henry Phillip Hope, was inherited by his wife and sold to several other owners, before being donated in 1958 to the Smithsonian Institution. There its mystique is grounded by "scientific discourse" and study. During his chronicle, the author, director of the Smithsonian's national programs, describes the history of the diamond trade, how precious stones were classified, the long-circulating myth that a curse was attached to the Hope diamond and royal politics of the times, for a serious but fascinating look at cultural and gemological history. B&w photos. (May) 
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Publishers Weekly

In sober contrast to Marian Fowler's archly written Hope (2002), Kurin's account of this celebrated gem measures its facts against the legends of its appeal. The provenance of the diamond that supposedly brings bad luck to its owner began with a French trader in India who sold it to Louis XIV. The chain of custody breaks, however, with the disappearance of the "French Blue" in the tumult of the French Revolution, a mystery Kurin carefully examines. Without endorsing the theory, Kurin surmises that the diamond was used to bribe the German general at 1792's Battle of Valmy. Two decades later, a blue diamond cut differently from the original (but proven to be such by recent tests) appeared in decorations worn by Britain's future George IV. Renamed for a purchaser, this Hope diamond has a solid chain of custody with ancillary fables of ill fate until it was finally bought by the Smithsonian Institution. Kurin's solid research is his strength in this account of the jewel's provenance and popular allure. Gilbert Taylor
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Booklist

About the Author:

Dr. Richard Kurin is the director of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage where he oversees the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, and other cultural heritage programs. A former Fulbright fellow with a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, he is the author of Reflections of a Culture Broker: A View from the Smithsonian. Dr. Kurin has been awarded the Smithsonian Secretary's Gold Medal for Exceptional Service and the American Folklore Society's Botkin Prize for lifetime achievement.

About this edition

• Publisher: Smithsonian Books
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1588344185
• ISBN 13: 9781588344182
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 400