Catherine The Great Liked Pearls ... |
Especially as it was once owned by Catherine The Great of Russia. It came from China sometime after 1760, which is when it stopped forming. It possibly was smuggled out via the Dutch East India Company - despite a Qing dynasty ban on exporting large pearls. It was first auctioned in Amsterdam in 1778 after the death of its first owner, Hendrik Coenraad Sander of the Dutch East India Company, where it was snapped up by Catherine's buyer.
So imagine my disappointment when I saw a picture of it .....
Known As The Sleeping Lion Pearl It Originally Came From China. |
... Ugly, isn't the word. You have to stretch your imagination to name the The Sleeping Lion. More like H. P. Lovecraft's 'Cthulhu' to me ....
H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu ... |
And a good thing too, in my opinion.
No something you would like hanging round your neck is it?
ReplyDeleteJust shows that size isn't everything.
Very true. I often console myself with that thought. Thanks for the comment.
Delete