Monday, July 30, 2007

Glorious All Sterling Silver Vintage Jet Rosary


Wonderful engraved Sterling Silver crucifix with a Triple C hallmark and sterling stamp. The centermedal which depicts the Blessed Virgin Mary and three roses has a matching hallmark and stamp. The entire assembly is sterling with rarely seen cathedral cut jet beads.

Medals:

Sterling Hallmarked two color enamel Lourdes medal
Sterling Hallmarked St. Joseph medal
Round 800 silver Lourdes medal

Hanging Length: 22 inches
Crucifix Length: 2 inches

Sunday, July 29, 2007

2nd Class Relic of Blessed St. Julia Billiart (martyr)


The threads and wax are intact on this small reliquary of St. Julie Billiart, a Flemish saint: martyr and Foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.

She is the patron against poverty and sickness.

Her feast day is April 8th.

¾ inches at the bail.

Early 19th Century French Art Nouveau Gold Tone Rosary with Bohemian Glass Beads


These gold tone assembly rosaries are found only in Europe and the technique for their construction is a form of gold plating used in France at the end of the 19th century known as "FIX" where the gold is plated so thick that it tests as solid gold. This entire rosary tests as 14K gold for me. This gives the rosary an approximate age of 70 to 90 years old.



The construction technique for the beads as well, the bi-colored glass, specifically designed to look like agate is also a French creation and these lovely Bohemian glass beads look wonderful with the art nouveau crucifix, center, and attached medals.

These dainty rosaries from Europe are tiny treasures meant to be carried.


Attached Medals:

Matched set of 3 orange enamel gold plated scapular medals. Stamped FIX at the bail.
A tiny gold plated Scapular – signed by the artist on the bail and stamped FIX.
A gold plated St. Therese of Liseaux medal with the Latin inscription "Rosarium Imbrem E Coelo Effundam" ("I will let fall from Heaven a shower of roses") – Signed by the artist and stamped FIX on the bail





Hanging Length: 17.5 inches

Crucifix: 1.25 inches at the bail

Friday, July 20, 2007

Ebony and Brass Rosary with Trefoil Crucifix & Monogram Center


Amazing Ebony Rosary with a heavy brass trefoil crucifix and a lovely French monogram centermedal. Alone this rosary is quite wonderful, but the medals make it extraordinary.

Openwork 2 color enamel brass Lourdes medal
Shamrock shaped St. Terese of Liseux medal
Hammered Brass Miraculous medal
Square brass scapular medal
St. Ignatious of Loyola medal with dedication to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Hanging Length: 19.5 inches

Crucifix Length: 1 ¾ inches

Stunning Sterling Silver Gloria Heirloom Rosary


All sterling silver assembly with pear shaped cut rock crystal. Each bead is capped with a matching pair of fluted sterling silver caps. Beautiful engraved extenders separate the paters.

Both the crucifix and the center bear the Gloria hallmark and sterling stamp. The wonderful open work crucifix is also a devotion to the Sacred Heart and the center is a Scapular Medal.

Attached Medals:

800 Silver 2 color blue enamel medal with devotion to the Lisieux Basilica in Normandy
Amazing ornate silver and enamel Lourdes medal with hallmarks on the bail.
N.D. des Lumiers Prez. Pour Nous (Our Lady of Light Pray for Us) Scapular Medal
N.D. de Deliverence de Souvret P.P.N (Our Lady of Sovereign Deliverance Pray for Us) with "Exaucez nous protegez nos Enfants" (Grant our children protection) on the back.
Leather case embossed with the image of the Blessed Virgin.

Hanging Length: 24 inches

Crucifix Length: 2 inches

Thursday, July 19, 2007

This rosary is really special. Each of the integrated gold tone medals depicts a different aspect of either the life of Jesus or Mary in sharp detail. The beads are round 6mm pale moonstone. The Marian centermedal is signed, but the real beauty of this rosary lies in the ornate crucifix with is etched on both the front and back.


In addition to the integrated medals, there is a large gold tone Our Lady of Lourdes medal attached. The gold tone St. Therese of Liseux medal is stamped "FIX" on the bail. This was a common process for gold plating during the 1940's for Art Nouveau Jewelry in France. The piece is not gold, but the plating is so thick, it will test as gold with jeweler's acid. It tested positive for 14K gold for me. It is a beautiful and intricate two sided medal. Gold tone, two color enamel Mary Queen of Heaven Medal attached at the drop.

Hanging Length: 18 inches

Crucifix Length: 1.5 inches

Monday, July 16, 2007

Vintage French Art Nouveau Rock Crystal Rosary


This is an absolutely incredible vintage gold tone rosary with classic art nouveau styling in every detail, a beautiful devotional object from the artistic period that prevailed between 1895 and 1935 in Europe. The hexagonal centermedal and the crucifix are signed by the artist.

The beads are faceted rock crystal and capped with a ring at each end. The art nouveau theme is carried through the entire piece with delicate square linked chains separating the paters.

Hanging Length: 16 inches

Crucifix Length: 1.5 inches

Attached to this rosary are several wonderful and unique medals:
A Basilica of Lourdes – "Je suis immaculee conception" (I am the Immaculate Conception) medal.

At the center is a lovely pale blue enamel on brass Pope Pius X Papal medal with an image of the Blessed Virgin on the back. (The brass has an 80B hardness stamp on it – fairly unusual to see.)

A French Art Nouveau gold Plated (stamped "FIX"*) "Jesus the Shepherd" medal signed by "Tairac"
A 3nd Class "H. Bloed" Brugge Medal in red enamel – a relic that has touched the Holy Blood of Christ Relic in Bruges, Belgium, a most beloved shrine for Flemish Catholics.


* This was a common process for gold plating during the 1940's for Art Nouveau Jewelry in France. The piece is not gold, but the plating is so thick, it will test as gold with jeweler's acid. It tested positive for 14K gold for me. Tairac's work is quite common in the mid-1920's, giving an approximate age of the rosary of roughly 90 years old.

Friday, July 13, 2007

We're Back!



Elwing and I have over a hundred vintage european rosaries and other devotional items restored and ready to sell. Our goal is to try to get them sold over the next month and a half so look for lots and lots of auctions from us. We've saved the best for last!

Example: Check out this incredible Italian artisan rosary.

I normally don't have a tough time describing rosaries, but this one really defied description. I had to be seen to be believed. It's one of the most unique rosaries I've ever come across.

The rosary is all gold tone metal with a unique hallmarked crucifix in the style of famed European metal designer Ferdinand Py. I have never seen one like it before and the mixture of exquisite sculpting and inscribed Latin is awesome. The center metal is filled with detail showing Mary and Child surrounded by a host of angels.

The beads are made from "adventurine glass", a technique similar to "goldstone" (where copper flecks are suspended in molten glass and allowed to harden). These beads have suspended adventurine and so they have a deep forest green and black appearance.

This rosary has been sold.