Forever A Mystery - The Cheapside Hoard
- gem_head
- May 16, 2020
- 3 min read
The story of the Cheapside Hoard is not a new one, it is however one of the most fascinating stories in the gem and jewelry world - especially for history buffs like my self.
For those unfamiliar with this story - the Cheapside Hoard is a magnificent treasure of approximately 500 spectacular jewels and gemstones accidentally discovered in 1912 by a group of construction workers demolishing a building in Cheapside, London.
The story gets more interesting - not only were these precious jewels and gems hidden below ground, undisturbed for many centuries; the stash contained no information about its owner(s), or origins. And so the owner(s) of the hoard remains a mystery to this day.
Upon discovering the hoard, the construction crew is said to have split the treasure among themselves. Days following their remarkable discovery, the word spread about the jewels. Fortunately for all of us, some of these articles made their way to antique dealer named George Fabian Lawrence aka ‘Stony Jack’. Realizing the archeological value of these articles, Stony Jack is said to have paid the construction workers in cash or pints of beer to collect as much items as possible. Stony Jack was instrumental in salvaging the Cheapside Hoard and facilitating its safe passage to the London Museum. Following this success, Stony Jack is said to have been appointed inspector of excavations at the London Museum.
Experts have dated the jewels back to the 16th and 17th centuries - jewels from the Elizabethan and early Jacobean periods. The Cheapside Hoard makes the majority of jewels from that era surviving to date. Heirloom jewels and gems are generally re-set and re-cut every so many years due to wear and tear, jewels are rarely maintained in their original state over multiple centuries, unless they stay hidden in a vault, or in this case underground.
The hoard consists of an array of remarkable jewels set in gold alloys and gemstones from around the world including emeralds from Colombia, diamonds from India, sapphires and rubies from Sri Lanka and Burma, amethysts from Brazil, pearls from the Gulf and many varieties from chalcedony. These jewels exemplify the high quality work of 16th and 17th century craftspeople, delicate metalsmithing, advanced enameling as well as lapidary skills.
My Favorite picks from the Cheapside Hoard:
Emerald Pocket Watch: Made with Colombian emerald, gold, and enamel. The movement is believed to be Swiss made. Incredibly valuable material, and impeccable craftsmanship - this item undoubtedly belonged to a very wealthy man, perhaps even royalty.
Solitaire Diamond Ring: Table cut diamond between 3-4 ct., set in gold, ring shank is enameled with beautiful black&white pattern. The Diamond is believed have originated from the Golconda mines.
Chalcedony Cameo of women in profile view:
Bejeweled scent bottle with handle: Made of gold and enamel, set with rubies, pink sapphires, spinels, diamonds and carved chalcedony.
Agate Cameo of Egyptian Queen: The oldest item in the collection, experts believe this cameo represents the last Pharaoh of Egypt - Queen Cleopatra.
Emerald Salamander Pin: Made of gold and cabochon Colombian emeralds and diamond eyes, the underside of the salamander and its open mouth are decorated with enamel.
Ribbon Bow Pendant: Set in gold, with 64 table cut diamonds and two rubies. Underside finished in enamel.
Strawberry Leaf Carved in Bloodstone:
There are many theories as to who owned the hoard. Historical records confirm this particular street/neighborhood of Cheapside in the 1600s was the Jeweler's row, similar to 47th street of Manhattan today (Diamonds District). Therefore it's plausible the hoard belonged to a jeweler. Quite possibly buried during an emergency evacuation - perhaps trying to escape the plague (1665) or the great fire of London (1666). Whichever it was, this person sadly didn't make it back to reclaim their jewels. It is pretty amazing that the Hoard even survived the Great Fire of London that lasted five days - non of the jewels including Pearls and Opals were damaged during the fire.
Over the years, the jewels have been housed at various museums, never as a whole collection until finally in 2013 the Museum of London reunited all the articles of the hoard for a temporary exhibition. While the Hoard is currently unavailable for viewing, the Museum of London is planning to re-open a permeant new exhibit featuring the full Cheapside Hoard in 2024.
See below two part BBC documentary on the Cheapside Hoard if you'd like to learn more. (Total runtime apporx. 29mins.)
References:
BBC Four. (2013, October 16). The Hidden Jewels of the Cheapside Hoard - Secret Knowledge (2 Videos) [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/dk6GYHxoP6I
The Cheapside Hoard. (2016, March 10). Museum of London. https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/discover/cheapside-hoard-collection-focus
Weldon, R., & Jonathan, C. (2013). The Museum of London’s Extraordinary Cheapside Hoard. Gems&Gemology, 49(3), 126-137. https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/FA13-cheapside-hoard-weldon
Weldon, R. (2013). [Photographs of the Cheapside Hoard Jewels and Gems]. https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/FA13-cheapside-hoard-weldon
The Museum of London. [Photographs of The Cheapside Hoard Jewels and Gems]. https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/discover/cheapside-hoard-collection-focus
Love your posts. Great writings.