OBJECT FILE
The Hope Diamond
FOLLOWNational Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, United States
THE OBJECT
A 45.52-carat deep-blue diamond, cut from the French Blue of Louis XIV, which was itself cut from a Golconda stone Jean-Baptiste Tavernier sold to the king in 1668. Stolen from the French crown jewels in 1792, recorded again in London in 1812, named for Henry Philip Hope (catalogue of 1839), sold on in 1901, bought by Pierre Cartier in 1910 and sold to Evalyn Walsh McLean in 1911. Harry Winston bought McLean's jewels in 1949 and posted the diamond to the Smithsonian by registered mail on 10 November 1958.
REPORTED ACTIVITY
The curse — misfortune to every owner — appears first in a 1908 Washington Post article and a 1911 New York Times list of supposed victims, several of them invented; Cartier used the tales to sell the stone to McLean. The Smithsonian's curators have said the curse 'appears to have gone dormant': attendance and the gem collection have only grown since.
WHERE IT IS NOW
On public display — kept by Smithsonian Institution. National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, United States.
PROVENANCE · 8 ENTRIES
TRACE ON THE MAP →1668 – 1792
Louis XIV and the French Crown (as the 'French Blue', recut 1673)
French crown jewels; Garde-Meuble from 1791, Paris, France
Tavernier sold the rough stone to the king in 1668. Stolen from the Garde-Meuble in September 1792.
Source: Smithsonian, 'History of the Hope Diamond'; Kurin (2006)
1812 – 1839
Daniel Eliason, diamond merchant (first record of the recut stone, 1812)
London, London, United Kingdom
Twenty years unaccounted for between the theft and Eliason's 1812 memorandum.
Source: Smithsonian, 'History of the Hope Diamond'; Kurin (2006)
1839 – 1901
Henry Philip Hope and the Hope family (Lord Francis Hope last)
the Hope collection, London, United Kingdom
Source: Smithsonian, 'History of the Hope Diamond' (1839 catalogue of the Hope collection; sold 1901)
1901 – 1910
Adolph Weil → Joseph Frankel's Sons (New York) → Selim Habib (1908)
dealers, New York, NY, United States
Source: Smithsonian, 'History of the Hope Diamond'; Kurin (2006)
1910 – 1911
Pierre Cartier
Cartier, Paris, France
Source: Smithsonian, 'History of the Hope Diamond'
1911 – 1949
Evalyn Walsh McLean (d. 1947); her estate
McLean residence, Washington, DC, United States
Source: Smithsonian, 'History of the Hope Diamond'; Kurin (2006)
1949 – 1958
Harry Winston Inc.
Harry Winston, New York, NY, United States
Source: Smithsonian, 'History of the Hope Diamond' (Winston bought the McLean jewels in 1949; donated 10 Nov 1958)
1958 — CURRENT LOCATION
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, United States
Source: Smithsonian, 'History of the Hope Diamond'
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