<Articles>Dutch Diamond Trade in the 17th Century

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  • <論説>オランダ東インド会社によるダイヤモンド交易 : J・P・クーンの書簡集を中心に
  • オランダ東インド会社によるダイヤモンド交易--J.P.クーンの書簡集を中心に
  • オランダ ヒガシインド ガイシャ ニ ヨル ダイヤモンド コウエキ J.P.クーン ノ ショカンシュウ オ チュウシン ニ

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Abstract

Diamonds had not been obtained except from India and Borneo before mines were found in Brazil in the 18th century. While in India they have been valued highest of all of the precious stones since ancient times, in Europe, coloured stones like rubies and sapphires were preferred because diamonds could not be cut and polished as beautifully as they can now. As the technique of cutting and polishing developed, especially in the Netherlands, from the latter half of the 15th century, their value rose. In the early 17th century, diamond trade by the Vereenighde Oost Indische Compagnie (V.O.C.) was found both in India and in Borneo. At first, until around 1620, the V.O.C. purchased diamonds mainly from Sukadana on the west coast of Borneo, and then, after the discovery of new mines in Golconda in 1621, the diamond trade was organized in Coromandel on the southeast coast of India. In the 1620's, the diamond trade in both of these areas influenced each other. When the company could obtain only a few diamonds in one area, it ordered the staff of another area to purchase more. The diamond trade was deeply connected with local rulers. In Golconda, all stones which were more than about 8 carats had to be offered to the king. He controlled mines and sometimes closed them. Some rulers in Southeast Asia bought polished diamonds from the V.O.C., sometimes at a higher price than in Europe. They seemed to like the European style cutting by Dutch polishers. Diamonds did not have the greatest volume and were not the most profitable for the V.O.C., but their continuous purchase in the early 17th century was deeply connected with the development of polishing techniques in the Netherlands. Even now the diamond industry in the Netherlands is very developed and famous.

Journal

  • 史林

    史林 81 (6), 779-814, 1998-11-01

    THE SHIGAKU KENKYUKAI (The Society of Historical Research), Kyoto University

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