France Buys Crown Jewels Back
Saturday April 26, 2008
France’s Louvre museum has spent $10.8 million on buying a broach which once formed part of the crown jewels of France. The 141 carat diamond brooch was made for Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III, but sold off by the republican government of France over a century ago in 1887 where it made its way to America’s Astor family.


Comments
Fascinating! I wonder - might you have a picture of the brooch?
Try this link for a picture:
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hqlbaNC_RgN050q6oVdZVvVtFIYA