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Current 50 Years Ago Page

November/December 1954 Lapidary Journal

Fifty Years Ago in Lapidary Journal

Established in 1947, Lapidary Journal has been the authority on what's current in the gem and jewelry world for over half a century. The vast library of issues that have been created over the years is like a diary -- a record to what was going on in the industry at any given moment. Just as it's fun to read old entries in your personal journal, we at Lapidary Journal thought it would be a good time to begin reminiscing on topics past, to see what has changed over time and what has remained the same.

Starting with the June 1954 issue, each month we will take a look back to an issue 50 years old. If readers are interested in receiving photocopies of these or any past articles, please send us an e-mail with the subject line of "reprints."

The November/December 1954 issue was 6-1/2" x 9-3/4", unlike today's dimensions of 8-1/4" x 10-3/4". It was not until 1960 that the size changed for the first time. It was a bi-monthly magazine and the newsstand price was $0.50 per copy.

The South Seas Lapidary Mystery
by Steven James of Glendale, CA
Revisited by Eric Van Osten, Assistant Editor

In 1954, Dr. Hubert Eaton was the President and Founder of the world-famous Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, CA, and owner of one of the most important gem collections in the United States. This article examines two lapidary pieces he had recently acquired from the South Pacific -- the Pride of Australia opal and an Easter Island stone head named Henry.

Dr. Hubert Eaton examines his "Pride of Australia" opal with the Collector of Customs while guards look on.

The story behind the Pride of Australia
The Pride of Australia is shaped like the continent. The 2" x 3" opal has black and blue veins interlaced with brilliant red streaks. By 1954, it had toured at least five World Fairs as "the greatest opal of Australia, and therefore the greatest opal in the world."

Percy Marks, Ltd., located in Sydney, Australia, was home to the opal when Dr. Eaton was craving for his collection. This firm was supposed to have the greatest opal collection in the world. The Pride of Australia was sitting in the display window when Dr. Eaton arrived.

To Dr. Eaton's dismay, the opal was not for sale. Dr. Eaton chose several other opals and told the firm that he wanted all of these opals plus the Pride -- if the Pride wasn't thrown in with the deal, then there would be no deal. Dr. Eaton wrote in a letter to his assistant, "Well, to cut a long story short, after quite a time, it ended by my going to the bank and getting a draft payable to Percy Marks, Ltd."

The story behind Henry
Dr. Eaton named his acquisition "Henry" in honor of his friend, Henry Wendt, who, while on the treasure hunt with Eaton, found the gem in a small boat, being used for ballast by natives who were unaware of its value.

Easter Island is an island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean that was first discovered (at least by Europeans) on Easter Sunday in 1722. Early explorers discovered standing stone statues of varying sizes on stone platforms, along the coast. Some of these bore crowns of red tufa. Several questions arise. Where did the first inhabitants of this remote island (2,000 miles from the nearest population centers -- Chile and Tahiti) originate? Why did they build these statues? How did they build and move them? What is this sign writing on walls and statues?

Dr. Hubert Eaton with "Henry," described in this article.

Several possibilities are given from varying groups of scholars as to where the islanders originated, including Polynesia and India. The (then) present day natives said their ancestors came from the east (South America); however, there are only a few superficial similarities between the cultures, which seems to be the theme every time Easter Island's first inhabitants are compared with possible cultures of origin.

Research had revealed that the 400 statues (that were discovered by this time) were cut from the tufa (soft rock) of the island's volcano, Rano Raraku. The red hats that adorn some of the statues came from another crater on the island. It was believed that once a statue was completed inside the volcano, it would be slid down grooves cut into the side of mountain, lubricated with native berries and other moist plants.

Today
Visitors can still visit Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, CA, and see Henry in the park's museum. Unfortunately, the Pride is no longer there, though -- it was stolen in 1961 and never recovered! Though not mentioned in the article, the park was founded because Dr. Eaton wanted to create a cemetery that brought to mind images of happiness and joyous life after death. He established the "memorial park," which means that gravestones lie flat in the earth to make the park seem less of a cemetery. He also was a pioneer in what is called "pre-need," which is when a person can organize and pay for his or her own funeral and burial services prior to death, therefore making the ordeal easier for those left behind. The park is scattered with art works Dr. Eaton collected and home to an impressive list of resting celebrities, including Walt Disney, Nat King Cole, and Sammy Davis, Jr. Dr. Eaton himself was also buried in the park when he passed away in 1966. Visit the park's Web site at www.forestlawn.com.

The more local and modern name for Easter Island is Rapa Nui. Since this article was written, the script was discovered to be Rongorongo -- the only written language in Oceania. Most experts now believe that the first inhabitants came from eastern Polynesia around 400 A.D. In 1994, DNA from 12 skeletons of these people was found to be of Polynesian descent. "Moai" is the appropriate name for the stone heads. There have now been almost 900 discovered. (Source www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/easter.)

More highlights from our archives coming next month from the November/December 1954 Lapidary Journal.

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