The Humbugs of the World · Character
Messrs. Boehmer
Parisian jewelers whose dazzling diamond necklace becomes the bait in a scandal that ruins a cardinal and stains a queen.
supporting
Also known as Boehmer, Bassange, Messrs. Boehmer & Bassange
First appearance: xlii
As a supporting figure in The Humbugs of the World, Messrs. Boehmer is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
The court jeweler who is desperate to sell the diamond necklace; deals with de Rohan and later reveals the fraud to Madame Campan.
Messrs. Boehmer and Bassange are the craftsmen-creditors at the center of the Diamond Necklace affair, holding an ornament so extravagant no buyer will touch it. Their anxiety is commercial and reputational: they need a purchaser of royal stature, and a cardinal's eager mediation seems like deliverance. Their willingness to extend credit on grand assurances shows how ambition and trust can be exploited, and their plight helps Barnum illustrate that even sober businessmen can be swept into a humbug's orbit.
Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.
Character Web
10 connectionsA slice of how Messrs. Boehmer sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Professional
- Other
Character groups
- Diamond Necklace Court Figures
- Diamond Necklace Conspirators
- Miscellaneous Humbugs and Dupes
+5 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This chapter serves as the dramatic climax because it shifts from exposing specific humbugs to delivering a un…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingRelationships
- Louis de Rohan
professional · negative
Louis de Rohan deals with Messrs. How this plays out →
- Madame Campan
professional · ambivalent
- Louis de Rohan
professional · negative
Louis de Rohan deals with Messrs. How this plays out →
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See Messrs. Boehmer in xliiIn the story
Messrs. Boehmer appears across 1 companion beat. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Messrs. Boehmer unlock in the free preview.
See Messrs. Boehmer in xlii