Download or read book Acres of Diamonds written by Russell H. Conwell and published by . This book was released on 1915 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Russell H. Conwell Founder Of Temple University Philadelphia.
Download or read book Koh i Noor written by William Dalrymple and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2017-09-12 with total page 307 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the internationally acclaimed and bestselling historians William Dalrymple and Anita Anand, the first comprehensive and authoritative history of the Koh-i-Noor diamond, arguably the most celebrated jewel in the world. On March 29, 1849, the ten-year-old leader of the Sikh kingdom of the Punjab was ushered into the magnificent Mirrored Hall at the center of the British fort in Lahore, India. There, in a formal Act of Submission, the frightened but dignified child handed over to the British East India Company swathes of the richest land in India and the single most valuable object in the subcontinent: the celebrated Koh-i-Noor diamond, otherwise known as the Mountain of Light. To celebrate the acquisition, the British East India Company commissioned a history of the diamond woven together from the gossip of the Delhi Bazaars. From that moment forward, the Koh-i-Noor became the most famous and mythological diamond in history, with thousands of people coming to see it at the 1851 Great Exhibition and still more thousands repeating the largely fictitious account of its passage through history. Using original eyewitness accounts and chronicles never before translated into English, Dalrymple and Anand trace the true history of the diamond and disperse the myths and fantastic tales that have long surrounded this awe-inspiring jewel. The resulting history of south and central Asia tells a true tale of greed, conquest, murder, torture, colonialism, and appropriation that shaped a continent and the Koh-i-Noor itself.
Download or read book Empire of Diamonds written by Adrienne Munich and published by University of Virginia Press. This book was released on 2020-05-19 with total page 382 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1850, the legendary Koh-i-noor diamond, gem of Eastern potentates, was transferred from the Punjab in India and, in an elaborate ceremony, placed into Queen Victoria’s outstretched hands. This act inaugurated what author Adrienne Munich recognizes in her engaging new book as the empire of diamonds. Diamonds were a symbol of political power—only for the very rich and influential. But, in a development that also reflected the British Empire’s prosperity, the idea of owning a diamond came to be marketed to the middle class. In all kinds of writings, diamonds began to take on an affordable romance. Considering many of the era’s most iconic voices—from Dickens and Tennyson to Kipling and Stevenson—as well as grand entertainments such as The Moonstone, King Solomon’s Mines, and the tales of Sherlock Holmes, Munich explores diamonds as fetishes that seem to contain a living spirit exerting powerful effects, and shows how they scintillated the literary and cultural imagination. Based on close textual attention and rare archival material, and drawing on ideas from material culture, fashion theory, economic criticism, and fetishism, Empire of Diamonds interprets the various meanings of diamonds, revealing a trajectory including Indian celebrity-named diamonds reserved for Asian princes, such as the Great Mogul and the Hope Diamond, their adoption by British royal and aristocratic families, and their discovery in South Africa, the mining of which devastated the area even as it opened the gem up to the middle classes. The story Munich tells eventually finds its way to America, as power and influence cross the Atlantic, bringing diamonds to a wide consumer culture.
Download or read book From Crust to Core written by Simon Mitton and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2020-12-17 with total page 383 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A fascinating historical account of the emergence and development of the new interdisciplinary field of deep carbon science.
Download or read book Flight of the Diamond Smugglers A Tale of Pigeons Obsession and Greed Along Coastal South Africa written by Matthew Gavin Frank and published by Liveright Publishing. This book was released on 2021-02-23 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Unforgettable. . . . An outstanding adventure in its lyrical, utterly compelling, and heartbreaking investigations of the world of diamond smuggling.” —Aimee Nezhukumatathil For nearly eighty years, a huge portion of coastal South Africa was closed off to the public. With many of its pits now deemed “overmined” and abandoned, American journalist Matthew Gavin Frank sets out across the infamous Diamond Coast to investigate an illicit trade that supplies a global market. Immediately, he became intrigued by the ingenious methods used in facilitating smuggling particularly, the illegal act of sneaking carrier pigeons onto mine property, affixing diamonds to their feet, and sending them into the air. Entering Die Sperrgebiet (“The Forbidden Zone”) is like entering an eerie ghost town, but Frank is surprised by the number of people willing—even eager—to talk with him. Soon he meets Msizi, a young diamond digger, and his pigeon, Bartholomew, who helps him steal diamonds. It’s a deadly game: pigeons are shot on sight by mine security, and Msizi knows of smugglers who have disappeared because of their crimes. For this, Msizi blames “Mr. Lester,” an evil tall-tale figure of mythic proportions. From the mining towns of Alexander Bay and Port Nolloth, through the “halfway” desert, to Kleinzee’s shores littered with shipwrecks, Frank investigates a long overlooked story. Weaving interviews with local diamond miners who raise pigeons in secret with harrowing anecdotes from former heads of security, environmental managers, and vigilante pigeon hunters, Frank reveals how these feathered bandits became outlaws in every mining town. Interwoven throughout this obsessive quest are epic legends in which pigeons and diamonds intersect, such as that of Krishna’s famed diamond Koh-i-Noor, the Mountain of Light, and that of the Cherokee serpent Uktena. In these strange connections, where truth forever tangles with the lore of centuries past, Frank is able to contextualize the personal grief that sent him, with his wife Louisa in the passenger seat, on this enlightening journey across parched lands. Blending elements of reportage, memoir, and incantation, Flight of the Diamond Smugglers is a rare and remarkable portrait of exploitation and greed in one of the most dangerous areas of coastal South Africa. With his sovereign prose and insatiable curiosity, Matthew Gavin Frank “reminds us that the world is a place of wonder if only we look” (Toby Muse).
Download or read book The Heartless Stone written by Tom Zoellner and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2007-06-12 with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An American Library Association Notable Book When he proposed to his girlfriend, Tom Zoellner gave what is expected of every American man--a diamond engagement ring. But when the relationship broke apart, he was left with a used diamond that began to haunt him. His obsession carried him around the globe; from the "blood diamond" rings of Africa; to the sweltering polishing factories of India; to mines above the Arctic Circle; to illegal diggings in Brazil; to the London headquarters of De Beers, the secretive global colossus that has dominated the industry for more than a century and permanently carved the phrase "A diamond is forever" on the psyche. An adventure story in the tradition of Susan Orlean's The Orchid Thief, The Heartless Stone is a voyage into the cold heart of the world's most unyielding gem.
Download or read book Diamonds written by Renee Newman and published by Firefly Books. This book was released on 2021-10 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The beauty and sparkle and mystique of diamonds is unmatched by that of any other gem in the world. Since early times, diamonds have been treasured as good luck charms, remarkable tools and status symbols and have been worn, collected and presented as lavish gifts. Today, diamonds remain among the most sought-after gemstones and continue to hold their value through good times and bad. In Diamonds, author Renée Newman, a graduate gemologist and author of many trade-level handbooks on gemstones, invites the reader on a journey into the fascinating world of diamonds. This lavishly illustrated guide -- which features hundreds of photos, maps and diagrams -- covers everything from mining, cutting and evaluating diamonds to the romantic histories of some of the world's most valuable stones. Diamonds includes chapters on: What a diamond is -- its significance from antiquity to the present day and what it represents from different perspectives The process and history of mining diamonds -- the locations (both modern and historical) as well as the techniques used to mine diamonds The evolution of diamond cutting -- how a diamond is processed and what are the key cuts and shapes to know Diamond jewelry through the ages -- how diamonds have been used in jewelry from pre-Georgian times to today Evaluating and pricing diamonds -- how diamonds are priced based on their many value factors, such as color, carat weight, cut, clarity, and so on Man-made diamonds The remarkable benefits of diamonds. As beautiful as they are precious and as useful as they are decorative, diamonds continue to fascinate and allure. Diamonds will be a welcome guide for anyone who has felt the romance and power of these fascinating gems. It will also be a useful resource for professionals in the jewelry trade.
Download or read book Playing Marbles with Diamonds written by Vance Havner and published by . This book was released on 1985 with total page 97 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Diamonds are Forever written by Ian Fleming and published by DigiCat. This book was released on 2022-08-16 with total page 190 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "Diamonds are Forever" by Ian Fleming. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.
Download or read book Treasury Decisions Under Tariff and Navigation Laws written by United States. Department of the Treasury and published by . This book was released on 1929 with total page 1312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 1890-1926 include also Decisions of the Board of U.S. General Appraisers no. 1-9135.
Download or read book Kohinoor written by William Dalrymple and published by Juggernaut Books. This book was released on 2016 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This riveting tale of the Kohinoor, the worldÕs most coveted gem, unearths fascinating new information as it moves from the Mughal court to Persia to Afghanistan; from Maharaja Ranjit Singh's durbar in Punjab to the Queen of England's Crown. A thrilling tale, full of violence, drama and intrigue.
Download or read book Treasury Decisions Under Customs and Other Laws written by United States. Department of the Treasury and published by . This book was released on 1935 with total page 1650 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Vols. for 1904-1926 include also decisions of the United States Board of General Appraisers.
Download or read book Blood Diamonds written by Greg Campbell and published by Basic Books. This book was released on 2012-04-03 with total page 337 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First discovered in 1930, the diamonds of Sierra Leone have funded one of the most savage rebel campaigns in modern history. These "blood diamonds" are smuggled out of West Africa and sold to legitimate diamond merchants in London, Antwerp, and New York, often with the complicity of the international diamond industry. Eventually, these very diamonds find their way into the rings and necklaces of brides and spouses the world over. Blood Diamonds is the gripping tale of how the diamond smuggling works, how the rebel war has effectively destroyed Sierra Leone and its people, and how the policies of the diamond industry - institutionalized in the 1880s by the De Beers cartel - have allowed it to happen. Award-winning journalist Greg Campbell traces the deadly trail of these diamonds, many of which are brought to the world market by fanatical enemies. These repercussions of diamond smuggling are felt far beyond the borders of the poor and war-ridden country of Sierra Leone, and the consequences of overlooking this African tragedy are both shockingly deadly and unquestionably global. Updated with a new epilogue.
Download or read book Blood Sweat and Earth written by Tijl Vanneste and published by Reaktion Books. This book was released on 2021-12-21 with total page 433 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A sweeping history of our enduring passion for diamonds—and the exploitative industry that fuels it. Blood, Sweat and Earth is a hard-hitting historical exposé of the diamond industry, focusing on the exploitation of workers and the environment, the monopolization of uncut diamonds, and how little this has changed over time. It describes the use of forced labor and political oppression by Indian sultans, Portuguese colonizers in Brazil, and Western industrialists in many parts of Africa—as well as the hoarding of diamonds to maintain high prices, from the English East India Company to De Beers. While recent discoveries of diamond deposits in Siberia, Canada, and Australia have brought an end to monopolization, the book shows that advances in the production of synthetic diamonds have not yet been able to eradicate the exploitation caused by the world’s unquenchable thirst for sparkle.
Download or read book Treasury Decisions Under the Customs Internal Revenue and Other Laws written by United States. Department of the Treasury and published by . This book was released on 1929 with total page 1310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Reports of Committees written by United States. Congress. Senate and published by . This book was released on 1872 with total page 768 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Report and Testimony of the Committee on Investigation and Retrenchment on Alleged Frauds in the New York Custom house written by United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Investigation and Retrenchment and published by . This book was released on 1872 with total page 750 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
