Henry Philip Hope

He was the son of Jan Hope and Philippina Barbara van der Hoeven. He was the youngest brother of Thomas Hope and Adrian Elias Hope.^[1]

He inherited a grand home on Duchess Street, Cavendish Square, London, that he kept from his father's death in 1831 until he sold it for demolition in 1851.^[2]

He was a prominent collector of gems, including the Hope Diamond (a blue diamond of 45.52 carats (9.104 g)) and a large pearl of 1,800 grains (or 90 g)^[3] which still bear the name of Hope. The catalogue of his collection was published by Bram Hertz shortly after his death. Hope also had an extensive library, some of which was sold by auction in his lifetime by Leigh & Sotheby in London on 18 February 1813 (& 17 following days), including 3639 lots of books and manuscripts. A copy of the catalogue is held at Cambridge University Library, shelfmark Munby.c.159(5).

The conditions for the acquisition of the blue diamond remain uncertain. The archives found at the National Museum of Natural History leave no room for certainty. It may be possible that Henry Philip Hope acquired the French blue diamond after his flight in 1792. Records reveal that Henry Philip Hope also bought a 137-carat sapphire that had previously belonged to the Ruspoli family of Rome which was confused until 2013 with Louis XIV's "Grand Saphir". The Grand was of comparable weight, but has different facets (rhomboid instead of cushion).^{[citation needed]}