About the Shah Diamond and an Armenian Called Shafras

In the Russian Imperial Treasury, besides the famous Orloff diamond, there is another remarkable one called the SHAH. It was one of the two enormous diamonds which ornamented the throne of Nadir Shah, and that the Persians called the Sun of the Sea, and the other the Moon of Mountains.

When Nadir was assassinated, his treasures were pillaged, and some of the jewels were divided among the soldiers, who hid them carefully. An Armenian of the name of Shafras resided at that time with his two brothers at Bassorah. One day an Afghan came to him and offered to sell an immense diamond, the Moon of Mountains, also a ruby and emerald of great size and beauty, a sapphire of remarkable lustre that the Persians called the Eye of Allah, and a hundred other precious stones of less value, for all of which he asked a moderate price. Shafras, surprised at the offer, asked the Afghan to call again, as he had not sufficient funds to purchase them; but the other, having some suspicions that a trap would be laid for him, left Bassorah secretly, and, notwithstanding the efforts of the three brothers to trace his flight, he could not be found.

Some years afterwards, however, the eldest brother met the Afghan by chance at Bagdad, where he had sold the jewels for a sum of 65,000 piastres and two valuable horses. Shafras got him to point out the house of the purchaser, who was a Jew, and offered to double the amount he had paid, but was refused. Upon this the three brothers agreed to assassinate the Jew, which was done; and the next day the Afghan, having been invited to a repast, was poisoned. The two bodies were placed in a sack and thrown into the Euphrates.

A dispute soon arose between the three brothers about the division of the spoil, and the eldest got rid of the others in the same way that the Afghan had been treated. He then fled to Constantinople, and from thence went to Holland. There he made known his treasures, and offered them to the different courts of Europe. The news reached Catherine II. of Russia, who proposed to purchase the Moon of Mountains only. He was invited to Russia, and put into communication with the crown jeweller. The conditions of purchase were, a title of nobility, and an annual payment of 10,000 roubles. Shafras demanded 600,000 roubles. Count Panin, then minister, delayed the purchase, and drew the Armenian into a style of living which placed him heavily in debt, and when he knew that he had no money left, he broke off the purchase. Shafras, according to the laws of the country, could not leave the empire, or even the city he was living in, without paying his debts. His situation was embarrassing. The court jeweller profited by his distress, and obtained the diamond for a quarter of its value. The Armenian now perceived the trap that had been laid for him; and, after selling some inferior precious stones to his countrymen, he paid his debts and suddenly disappeared.

Ten years afterwards he was at Astracan, and this being made known to the Russian Court, offers were made for the jewels he still had, some of which he sold, and had a title of nobility also conferred upon him. The sapphire, said to be the finest known, belongs to the crown of Saxony, as also the rubies.