rosary workshop - article on Filigree Rosaries
ABOUT FILIGREE  ROSARIES
THE NEW BEAD - FILIGREES

We were delighted to hear from a gentleman from Germany who has been collecting antique rosaries for over 10 years. He wrote: "It is easier to become a rosary from the 17th century that to find information about it but here goes...."

THE NEW BEAD - FILIGREE
... During the 18th century there came a new form of beads - the filigree. People loved it so. In the testaments (the best information about the history of rosaries) it mentions that in the last quarter of the 18th century the filigree bead could be found in quantity and thus began the mass production of the filigree rosary. The center for this production was Schwabish Gmund. In the 18th century there were about 250 Filigree productions. These were mostly made up of women and children.
 They became very ornate as people wanted to show what they had. Costly ones were made of coral and semi-precious stones. They were also made of colored glass. This style of rosary and cross replaced all other materials used at this time.

Be careful when you buy filigree rosaries. I have seen a lot from the last part of the 20th century.
+
PILGRIMAGES
When the people would go on pilgrimages to holy places, they would often give their costly rosaries as sacrifice to the statues of Madonna's. In this time the rosaries took on the character of jewelry. This is the reason they often became the supporters of medals.
+
BROTHERHOODS OF THE ROSARY
The form of the rosary is not always the same. During this time brotherhoods of the rosary were begun. The rules of the brotherhood often changed this formation or count of decades (4 to 7 decades) or overall count of beads.
+
THE CREDO CROSS
The little cross that comes before the bigger one on the filigree rosary is called the Credo Cross. It is on the open part of the rosary. It comes after the 3 Ave beads embedded in two holy Father beads and before the Large cross at the end. It comes from the Kounzil of Trient (1545-63). It is a sign to remember: Belief - Hope - Charity. The Credo Cross was given up during the 19th century."
 

return to:

museum german collection    -   antique rosary museum index