Video: The Cheapside Treasure: How, 250 Years Later, Unique Jewelry Was Found That Perished in the Fire of 1666
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
In the summer of 1912, while dismantling the ruins of one of the dilapidated houses on Cheapside Street, hastily erected after a terrible fire, two workers accidentally stumbled upon a half-rotted wooden box in the basement, inside which lay a lump of old, caked mud. But, looking more closely, the diggers noticed luminous sparks emanating from him. This is how the legendary treasure was found, numbering about five hundred jewelry items. It made a lot of noise in the 20th century, and its importance can hardly be overestimated.
So far, no one knows what is hidden in one of the cellars on this street …
Earlier, even before the fire, on the site of a modest dilapidated house near London's St. Paul's Cathedral, there was a large house in which wealthy citizens lived. Although it was made of wood, like many houses in London in those days, the cellars of the house were lined with bricks. Thanks to this, the jewelry box survived the fire. But the world owes the salvation of these treasures to another person - the owner of an antique shop, Jack Stoney.
Realizing that very valuable artifacts could be found in the historical part of the city, he received permission from the city museum to buy finds from workers, on the condition that he would sell the most interesting of them to the museum. The enterprising antiquarian developed good relations with all the excavators who worked on London construction sites, and they regularly carried him everything they found, knowing that at least they would get at least a mug of ale for it. For valuable copies, Stoney honestly paid them with money. And this time the workers informed him of their find. Within an hour, Stoney was at the place and contemplated with amazement the found treasures. He had never seen anything like it. The antiquary paid generously to the diggers - each of them received quite a lot of money at that time - 100 pounds. The museum bought the treasure from him for £ 1,000. Museum experts, after cleaning all the jewelry, were also delighted with the unique, amazingly diverse and well-preserved collection of the Tudor era and the first Stuarts (16th-17th centuries)
One of the unique pieces, the likes of which no one else has found, is a pocket watch by William Howard, Viscount of Stafford, whose golden dial is placed in a box with a translucent lid, carved from a single piece of Colombian emerald.
Stunning brooch "Salamander" with emeralds and diamonds:
Another masterpiece is a gold bottle for storing perfume, they were worn hanging around the neck. It is encrusted with carefully selected precious stones of different colors. Filigree work of a real master …
Thin, graceful and very long gold necklaces with enamel inlays are of particular value. Such necklaces, if worn frequently, will not last long. And these specimens are almost three hundred years old. Very rare.
Vintage cameos:
Very beautiful pendants:
Fine workmanship gold rings:
Rings with large stones:
For many years, scientists have tried to find out to what time the mysterious treasure belongs. It was possible to determine this thanks to the seal carved into the carnelian. The heraldic sign depicted on it belongs to the same William Howard, Viscount of Stafford, the owner of the emerald watch. And this title was received by him in 1640. Thus, the time limits of the treasure were established (1640-1666).
Unfortunately, the owner of the treasure could not be identified. But, based on the fact that in the 16-17 century, jewelry stores and workshops of London were concentrated in the area of Cheapside Street, most likely he was one of the representatives of the middle class. At that time, many of them were the richest people.
According to one of the quite acceptable versions, the treasure could belong to the master Arnold Lalls who came to London from Belgium, he was a supplier of precious stones and jewelry for the royal court of James I (from the Stuart dynasty). Lalls' will also mentions pendants made in the form of bunches of grapes, among other jewelry. Such pendants are also found in the found treasure.
There is, however, another version. It is based on the fact that among the real treasures of the treasure, experts have identified several fakes made of quartz. And the most famous manufacturer of fakes was then considered Thomas Simpson, a jeweler with a very dubious reputation. And he had something to do with this house. In addition, there was even an assumption that Simpson was involved in the murder of the jeweler Herrard Pullman, which caused a lot of noise in 1631. And Pullman was killed on board the ship, on his return from Persia to London. Was it his jewelry that Simpson had hidden?
In a short period of time (from 1640 to 1666) in the history of England, no matter what shocks happened - the Civil War, and political turmoil, and religious, plague and the Great Fire. Apparently, the owner of the deposit, whoever he was, fell victim to one of these terrible events. The treasure was left to wait in the wings. And he waited …
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