Another Surprise from the 1920's

This one surprised me when I did research after bringing it home- I expected it to be a recent item due to the clean and simple design, but it turns out to be a remembrance pin of the holy year 1925 in absolutely perfect condition. The detailed design in 4 shades of enamel is skillfully executed. I should have known - they just don't make them like this anymore.

From the Vatican Web Site: "A Holy Year, or Jubilee is a great religious event. It is a year of forgiveness of sins and also the punishment due to sin, it is a year of reconciliation between adversaries, of conversion and receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and consequently of solidarity, hope, justice, commitment to serve God with joy and in peace with our brothers and sisters. A Jubilee year is above all the year of Christ, who brings life and grace to humanity." These Jubilee years happen every few decades. The last one was in the year 2000.

The rest of the Article can be found here.

The piece is approximately 1 inch in diameter.

This is the Coolest Thing Ever

Sometimes you get something and you don't know what to call it, but you just know that it's really cool. I don't know much about this piece other than that it's in amazing condition for its age and it's beautiful.



The rosary it comes with, is amazing all by itself. And the book has that great mix of red and black text that a friend of mine calls "Catholic Typesetting".





 An amazing find from Europe: this Dutch prayer book and rosary gift set is absolutely stunning and in perfect condition. I don't think the book has even been opened other than when I took the picture.

A picture is worth a thousand words which is why I took so many of this set. It simply must be seen to be believed. All the leather, from the book cover to the rosary case feels shiny and new. The rosary itself is a mother of pearl and silver rosary that is a find on its own. The prayer book is in Dutch and is entitled: "Salve Regina". Based on the date of the Imprimatur on the book, this set came from the 1920s. This book and rosary set is a special treasure from the past.

Dimensions:

Rosary Hanging Length: 17inches
Book: 4" by 2.25"
Box: 6.5" by 6" by 1"

A Special Devotion to the Popes

This French rosary is nearly a kalidoscope of vintage parts. It was clearly broken and repaired during its lifetime, but as these additions and subtractions are vintage as well, they actually add to the interest and charm of this rosary.

The beads are 18 sided faceted jet. They have excellent luster and are free from chips and cracks, but they are also quite smooth from use. It is hard to imagine how much praying it would take to wear down jet! Special mention should be given to the chains between the paters, which are embossed with texture. Both the chains and the beads suggest that this was owned by a French nun as I understand that this type of construction was common in convents.

The crucifix is a very ornate St. Anne Beaupre 3 layer silvered brass crucifix. The bottom most layer has begun to show brass in some places. The most ornate layer has elaborate scrollwork. The center medal on this rosary appears new and added recently.

Medals: The former owner of this rosary must have had a particular devotion to the pope. Attached to it are 4 papal medals.
Pius XII
Pius XI
Paul VI
John XXIII
Hanging Length: 25 inches

Crucifix: 2 inches

Knot for Sale

While I never set out with the intention to make anything but fancy rosaries, the news that the Rosary Army's apostlate was continuing to grow at a rapid rate, to the point that they were running out of various colors of rosaries to send out, combined with the news that their main twine distributor was having some difficulties, sprang me into unexpected action.


Here are 36 knotted twine rosaries with metal crucifixes ready to be packed up for their journey to Conyers where they will then be sent... elsewhere, to whomever asks for one. I did not make all these rosaries however, more than half of them were knotted by Aimee, who came over to watch the video the day my 2 spools of twine from the new Reicken and Sons Twine Store arrived. Aimee now has an insatiable appetite for rosary twine and turns them out faster than I can hand her 20 foot cut lengths. We've made another (larger) order of twine and crucifixes and are hoping to teach others from our church how to make rosaries. Not only is rosary knotting addicting, but it's awesome to be able to give something as fantastic as the rosary to anyone who asks for one. Priceless!


Aimee, happily carrying her rosary making addiction monkey on her back!

Did the Holy Spirit Make it Sterling?

Here are the follow up photos from my April blog entry about a pewter rosary that upon inspection I discovered to be silver:



The unusual crucifix design is what's known as a "Holy Spirt Crucifix". It is the only one I have ever seen "in person".

The hallmark is a triangular hallmark that is quite common on rosaries, but virtually uncatalogued on other types of silver. One of the difficulties with rosaries is that very little has been published about their hallmarks. Silver collectors tend to concentrate on larger pieces such as flatware and other tableware so that jewelry and in particular devotional silver jewelry is virtually undocumented. (I learned this during a weekend trip to our university archives to research Canadian silver hallmarks and discovered that not a single one of the hallmarks on my Canadian rosaries was included in their catalog.)



Seen all together the rosary is a wonderful combination of openwork sterling and sparkling tin cut jet beads. It is not a large or heavy rosary like many of the older sterling rosaries are, but it is definitely a beautiful and mysterious work of art.

There Simply is Not Enough Blue Enamel in the World

These enamel rosaries from Belgium are my favorites. Nothing is more beautiful than the blue against the silver.


In this example the silver crucifix and centermedal are adorned with multiple shades of inlaid blue enamel for incredible detail and depth. Pearlescent 2 layer Bohemian glass beads in milk white make this lovely vintage European rosary a rare find.

Attached to the drop is a Mary Queen of Heaven medal of 800 silver in matching shades of blue enamel. It is marked "800" with a Swiss Hallmark. The opposite side shows the Abbey of"Maria Einsiedeln" in Switzerland. In addition on each of the first two decades are two silver plated medals: a small round Lourdes medal and a delicate little scapular medal decorated with roses.

And here's another example; it's similar, but not quite the same. The style of the crucifix and centermedal of the rosary above are very common in Belgium and Elwing runs across them quite often (and, knowing how much I like them, usually picks them up).

This rosary, while still displaying the amazing multifaceted enamelwork that I love so much, has a very different pattern within the metal of the crucifix and center making it a much more unusual find than the one above. They are both beautiful though, no?

The world definitely needs more of these.

The Rolls Royce of Rosaries

I love these kinds of rosaries: big, heavy, d e l u x e. This is it folks. This is what fancy rosaries are all about.

This rosary is every bit a fine piece of jewelry as it is a devotional item. The matched crucifix and center medal are hallmarked "RLC" and stamped "Sterling". There is also an RLC tag attached to the rosary authenticating both the quality of the silver of the entire assembly (crucifix, center, and spacers), but the crystal as well.

Several medals have been added.

• On the drop, just above the crucifix is a tiny enamel and silver Scapular Medal.


• Also on the drop is a Holy Family slide metal


• On the first and last decades are two additional medals. One is a French Scapular Medal with the devotion "Notre Dame du Scapulaire Protegez Nous." (Our Lady of the Scapular – Protect us) The other is a silver plated Papal medal for Pope Paul VI the back of which shows an iconic image of St. Peter (with a key) and St. Paul (with a sword).

Brass Art Deco...

Solid brass crucifix and center medal with French Hallmarks demonstrate classic Art Deco style that is typical of a vintage European rosary from the 1930s. The jet beads are in flawless condition and the entire assembly is in brass. This rosary is in perfect condition.

Three vintage and antique medals are attached:

• On the drop - Brass Pontifical medal for Pope Pius IX struck during his papacy in 1854.


• Also on the drop - A very unique large five sided brass Lourdes medal with inlaid blue enamel.


• On the first decade - Blue enamel over white on a round copper devotion to the Shrine of the Holy Blood in Brugge Belgium.
  The back of the medal depicts Jesus crowned with thorns and has a cleverly concealed "Italy" mark worked into the design.

Hanging Length: 16 inches

Crucifix: 1.5 inches to the bail

The Blessed Mother (of Pearl)

This Mother of Pearl rosary has an assembly of all 800 silver. The original manufacturer's tag is attached.

The rosary has 2 medals attached as well. Both are on the drop and are solid hallmarked silver.

• The first is an octagon shaped medal with the Blessed Virgin Mary on one side and the promise "je convertirai les pecheurs" (I will convert the sinners) on the other. I have never seen a medal like it.


• The second medal is a French Carmelite scapular medal that has a very unusual image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on it. It shows Jesus in profile and says "Voila le couer qui a tant aime le homes" (Here is the heart with hath so loved man). The front side of the medal shows Our Lady of Perpetual Hope.
  

Hanging Length: 22.5 inches
Crucifix: 2 inches

Antique Rosary with Lampwork Beads!

Here is something you don't see every day.



While seeing these wonderful old 1800s rosaries from Europe is not all that unusual (I see one every few months) seeing one that is both, in this nice condition and with lampwork beads like this is a really rare treat. I love glass beads of all sorts so this was exciting for me.

Modern technology has allowed lampworked beads to become very complicated, but in the past they were quite simple and this is a classic example of lampwork – the combination of two colors of glass, all done by hand. This rosary must have a very interesting story to tell.

Aside from the amazing beads is a brass crucifix with inlaid ebony and a very ornate society medal. It says: "Erant omnes perseverantes unanimiter in oratione" which is Latin for (roughly) "We're all steadfastly united of one mind upon prayer"

Integrated Medals

Each integrated medal is unique on this fantastic old ebony rosary from France. The Paters are carved wood and the Aves have been left plain. The six medals depict different images of the Holy Family (including several of the Mysteries of the Rosary) and the center medal shows a profile of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

A heavy brass and ebony inlaid crucifix gives this rosary a lot of weight and a solid feel. Attached to the center is a solid brass French Miraculous Medal and a silvered brass St. Micheal medal* from the Mont St. Michael Monestary in Bretagne France.

From a 12 of 12 to the 12 Steps

I grew up with an alcoholic/addict in my immediate family and it's taken them a long time, but they have finally sought the road to recovery and have stayed on it for nearly a year. (Next month will be their one year anniversary actually.)

I saw on another rosary maker's site that they had made a simple 12 bead chaplet for people in recovery. There's was really simple - twelve knots (it was made from knotted twine) with a crucifix on one end and a St. Maximillian Kolbe medal on the other. (He is the patron saint of alcoholics.) I wanted to made something that was a little more me (ie. it's fancy) and was secular (since AA subscribes to "God as we understand Him" and that doesn't always mean crosses) for my family.

So I worked with my family on a set of AA prayers that could go with a 12 beaded devotion and since the Serenity Prayer figures in so big in AA I named them Serenity Beads.



Serenity Bead Prayers
On the first bead, pray a prayer of your choice.
On the green beads pray the Serenity Prayer.
On the silver beads pray the Our Father.
Close with the St. Francis Prayer.

12 of 12 for June

Here is my 12 of 12 for June. It was actually a busy sort of day...


8:00am FOOD!
Once again forgoing the bleary alarm clock/one eye open picture in favor of what is truly the most important moment of every morning: feeding the cats.

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9:30am PG Tips
Preparing sold rosaries to go out in the mail. I'm going to stop at the post office and mail them at some point during my day. Logan is on the table watching the birds at the feeder outside the window. I'm drinking a cup of tea in my favorite vet school mug...

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10:50am ShackScaping!
I did some shack beautification over the weekend. I hung up planters and did some raking and sweeping around the place. It's looking more like a little gingerbread house in the woods than usual...

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11:00am Biking Weather!
It's gorgeous out so I've left my car at the shack and taken my bike today.

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11:30am No direction
Once again I find myself waiting for my spiritual director. I've been trying to received spirtual direction at my church for almost a year and something always happens so that I've never actually had a single meeting. Something has happened again today. Newman hall does have this nice fresco though...

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11:40am Thank God for insurance
Since I'm not doing spiritual direction, I run some errands. I have a lot of prescriptions to fill. Like seriously. This is what sucks about migraines.

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12:01pm Surrogate Sanctuary
During the summer we have daily mass in this small air conditioned room off to the side of the main chapel.

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12:40pm Archway
Going from indoors to out after mass while talking to my friend Patrick who is visiting from Seminary.

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1:50pm First day of class
I have my first summer session class in the Animal Sciences Laboratory here on the main campus. It's an 8 week class for 2 hours a day, five days a week.

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4:05pm Aesop's Tower of Fable Power
I don't think this is the real name of the sculpture... It's outside the Urbana Free Public Library which is literally in the same alley as my shack and is less than half a block away! It's a great thing to have so near by. I've decided to borrow a movie or two. They have a collection of DVDs that rivals any video store and they are free.

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5:00pm New Supplies
While watching my video (I rented the wierdest thing - the first part of the Shogun TV series. I've never seen it. It's pretty good) I look at some new stuff: 2 Gloria rosaries, a bunch of St. Christopher Vehicle badges that will be gifts, and 60 inexpensive crucifixes for the knotted twine rosaries I'm making.

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7:00pm Homework
My first homework of the summer. I read and take notes on my textbook for class. It's a class about animal sex. Basically. My Breviary waits in the background because I haven't said the evening office yet.

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Bonus Picture: Taken at 9am CST (7am west coast time)



Getting dressed. Way to make getting dressed look totally un-sexy. Woot!

This is looking Dangerously like an Art Photo

Here is a box filled with broken rock crystal and sterling silver assembly rosaries. Doesn't it look nice in the sun? My shack gets early morning sun from the east and it looked so nice through the crystal so I thought, "There's today's photo." These need repair (some more than others) and a lot of TLC so it may be a little while before you see them again, but they are all lovely heavy sterling and rock crystal rosaries. I can't wait to see them all finished and decked out. Gorgeous!

"There's nothing like priests to screw up a good thing."

Monsignor Swetland, known for being extremely quotable and generally a good guy, is leaving my church as head chaplain this month. We had a big fancy Mass on Pentecost for his last Mass with a really fancy reception afterwards. They even had wine. He'll be missed. In particular, he used to address God in Hebrew when he prayed, which I particularly appreciated. So I'll miss that.

My favorite "Monsignor Moment" was when I started praying the Liturgy of the Hours. I asked him for some help since it is quite complicated for the beginner. ("Christian Prayer" - the one volume version, is a thick book with many sections and 5 colored ribbons.) His lesson consisted of: "Just put the ribbons in and Pray!"

The title of this is a Monsignor Swetland quote. For more Monsignor-isms, check out this page.

One of a Kind and Difficult to Sell

Sometimes a rosary is so nice it's really hard to part with it even though I can't really justify keeping it. Here is such a rosary. Besides being awesome it just feels great in your hands. Bohemian glass is a lot like rock crystal in that it tends to be heavy and cool to the touch. The faceted beads have a slick feel and so the rosary slides though your fingers like silk.



You will never see another like this glorious rosary from the 1940s with all solid sterling silver assembly and two layer brown and white faceted bohemian glass art beads. The swirled art deco design on the crucifix is classic French styling with a unique maker's mark on the bail. The center medal is a scapular medal and devotion to the beloved Flemish Our Lady of Scherpenheuvel Shrine. The center medal has many marks on it including the artist's own signature and sterling purity mark.

The rosary has two medals attached at the drop:

A hallmarked solid 800 silver hexagon Lourdes medal
A signed silver Carmelite Our Lady of Montiagu ( Scherpenheuvel) scapular medal
Hanging Length: 20 inches
Crucifix: 1.5 inches to the bail

Red Treasure Chest

I received a new box of rosaries from Elwing on Thursday. I had a lot of fun opening the package with a friend from church and discoved it was an ornate red box that looked like a treasure chest wrapped in this way cool Romanian shirt. Here I am wearing the wearing the shirt and holding the box which is still full of rosaries, medals, and other goodies. I am standing next to a rather charming bit of graffiti that showed up next to the shack the other day. I think it's a cat but it could be a rabbit...

While walking back to the shack, I turned the box over and discovered it was made by Cartier.

Fooled by Lacquer

This is one of those stories about how no matter how much stuff you see, sometimes it's just hard to figure out what you're looking at.

Elwing saw this rosary and saw flawless shining ebony beads. I looked at it, tapped it on things, and thought it sounded like plastic. It was too glossy and perfect to be wood and I couldn't see a grain under my loupe. I thought I'd nailed it when I saw what looked like seams. It was Bakelite. Plastic! The rosary was from the 1920s. I wrote this:

The oval beads appear to be ebony but are actually a very hard and shiny plastic called "bakelite" that was a used in the 1920s and 30s to make many different things, especially jewelry. These bakelite rosary beads would have been considered quite "space age" for their time. Offset by these very new materials is a very old style of rosary making. The links and pins are very typical of rosaries made 50 years before, with the pin threaded deep within each bead. The wrap style with which the crucifix is attached is also more typical for an older rosary. This rosary was most likely manufactured between 1922 and 1944.

And I even listed it as a "Large Bakelite Rosary". Elwing saw the listing and said "really plastic? I was positive they were wood." I'd been positive they were plastic, but I looked again and I found what looked like chip, but it looked like a chip in wood, not in plastic. So, what were they?! I had the listing up and we had no idea. The beads appeared to be both wood and plastic at the same time. Then it hit me. Lacquer. The beads were lacquered wood - so it was kind of both. It explained the shiny appearance as well as the "seams" (imperfections in the way the beads were dipped and dried). It's amazing how well lacquer can imitate plastic and yet at the same time, looks very different. There is a warmth not present in plastic (that I attributed to the fact that I didn't know much about bakelite and that it was a nicer material than I thought.)

It just goes to show how mysterious the rosary is...