Mysterious Mr Jacob: Diamond Merchant, Magician and Spy

A tale of money, magic and mystique from the best-selling author of The Last Nizam The scandal that rocked the Raj In 1891, a notorious curio-dealer from Simla offered to sell the worlds largest brilliant-cut diamond to the Nizam of Hyderabad. If the audacious deal came through, the merchant would have been set up for life. But the transaction went horribly wrong. The Nizam accused him of fraud, triggering a sensational trial in the Calcutta High Court that made headlines around the world. The dealer was Alexander Malcolm Jacob, a man of mysterious origins and colourful infamy. He was Indias most successful purveyor of precious stones and was rumoured to be rich almost beyond the dreams of Aladdin. Hailed as a celebrity in his own lifetime, he was the inspiration for the shadowy Lurgan Sahib in Rudyard Kiplings Kim. A confidant of viceroys and maharajahs, he dabbled in magic and was a player in the Great Game. Yet he died in obscurity, carrying many of his secrets to his grave.