Hope Diamond Presentation

Summary

The package containing the Hope Diamond is presented to Smithsonian Secretary Dr. Leonard Carmichael. The donor, Harry Winston, shipped the diamond through the regular United States Postal Service via first-class mail; the postage cost him $2.44, plus $142.85 for $1 million dollars worth of insurance. Pictured from left to right: Postmaster General Arthur Summerfield, Mrs. Edna Winston, Dr. Leonard Carmichael, Dr. George Switzer, and Mr. Sinclair of the National Museum of Natural History's minerology department. Dr. George Switzer was an American mineralogist who is credited with expanding the Smithsonian Institution's famed National Gem and Mineral Collection by acquiring the Hope Diamond for the Museum in 1958. Switzer made the arrangements when renowned New York City jeweler Harry Winston decided to donate the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian.

Subject

• Switzer, George S
• Carmichael, Leonard 1898-1973
• Winston, Edna (Fleishmann)
• Summerfield, Arthur E (Arthur Ellsworth) 1899-1972
• United States Postal Service
• National Museum of Natural History (U.S.) Dept. of Mineral Sciences
• National Collections

Category

Historic Images of the Smithsonian

Contained within

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 95, Box 57, Folder 11

Contact information

Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Archives, 600 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20024-2520, SIHistory@si.edu

Date

November 10, 1958

Restrictions & Rights

No restrictions

Topic

• Gems
• Smithsonian Institution
• Personnel management
• Employees
• Gifts
• Hope diamond
• Smithsonian Institution--Employees
• Event

Form/Genre

• Photographic print
• Group, candid

ID Number

SIA2010-0337 and MP-60B

Physical description

Number of Images: 1; Color: Black and white; Size: 9.5w x 7.63h; Type of Image: Group, candid; Medium: Photographic print

Full Record

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