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              Annual Report
 Division of Mineralogy and Petrology 
               1958 - 1959
                
               Accessions

The year 1958-1959 was highlighted by two accessions of great importance, the Hope Diamond and the Vetlesen Collection of Chinese Jade Carvings.

A total of 4,543 specimens in 254 accessions(1,444 specimens in 126 accessions in 1957-1958) were added to the collections. Of these 1,962 were gifts, 1,077 exchanges, 1,359 transfers from other government agencies, and a collection of jade consisting of 145 pieces was received as a bequest.

The Hope Diamond.- This legendary diamond, largest and most notable of all blue diamonds in the world, was presented to the Smithsonian Institution on November 10, 1958 by Mr. Harry Winston, world-famous gem merchant of New York.

The Hope ranks in importance with other famous diamonds, such as the Kohinoor, Cullinan, and Regent found only in the Crown Jewels of Europe. In fact, because of its long and dramatic history, and its rare deep blue color, the Hope is possibly the best known diamond in the world.