Article: Smithsonian provides fascinating collection of diamonds and gemstones.

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In 1884, 29 years after its founding, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. had only a modest gem collection displayed in two small, flat, glass-topped exhibition cases. In 1894, it received a major boost with the gift of 1,316 gems from the collection of Dr. Isaac Lea of Philadelphia. The collection steadily grew thereafter mainly as a result of gifts and bequests. Undoubtedly, the single most significant event that established the worldwide reputation of the National Gem Collection was the gift, in 1958, by Harry Winston of the Hope Diamond. The addition of this renowned diamond triggered a series ...

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