Pairs of rare diamond and emerald glasses from an unknown Indian prince’s treasury will be auctioned in London later this month. As reported by the Sotheby’s auction house, lenses made of precious stones were placed in Mughal frames from around 1890, according to the BBC website.
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The glasses will be offered at the auction for £ 1.5-2.5 million (about PLN 8-13.5 million) each. Prior to sale, they will be exhibited in Hong Kong and London. It is not clear whose order they were made, but they probably belonged to the Mughals – the ruling dynasty of the Indian Peninsula in the 16th and 17th centuries, known for their rich artistic and architectural heritage – we learn from the BBC.
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Diamond and emerald glasses available at auction
As reported by Sotheby’s, the diamond and emerald were carved into two lenses.
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“The quality and purity of the gemstones are remarkable, and gemstones of this size would undoubtedly be in the emperor’s treasury,” she added.
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Diamond lenses – cut as a pair from one natural diamond – are likely sourced from the Golconda mine in southern India. The teardrop-shaped emeralds come from one natural Colombian emerald, the BBC reads.
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“Ordinary lenses work to improve eyesight, while gemstone filters were supposed to help with spiritual enlightenment. Diamonds were considered illuminating and emeralds had miraculous powers to heal and ward off evil,” explained Sotheby’s.
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According to the auction house, the “most famous reference” to such glasses in history and mythology can be found in The Natural History of Pliny the Elder, which tells how the ancient Roman emperor Nero watched the gladiatorial battles through the precious green stone. Nero’s teacher – Seneca – was supposed to be an expert in the refraction of light, mirrors and optics, the BBC reported.
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Sotheby’s
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photo-source">Main photo source: Sotheby’s
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