rosary workshop - museum - german index
 18c - PENDANT FILIGREE
DATED 1750 GERMAN FILIGREE WITH 3 PENDANTS
A collection of antique and vintage rosaries and chaplets from a gentleman in Germany who has generously sent us images of a few of his rosaries.  We learn a great deal as we look over the designs and read his commentary (in quotes) about each one.
 
CONFIGURATION   -   BEADS & CROSS
STANHOPE CROSS
 
This filigree is a strung rosary as compared to a chained rosary. A wonderful example of this period and very popular with pilgrims who would add religious charms, medals and small reliquaries as mementos from the holy sites as they traveled from place to place.

~ CONFIGURATION ~

 
A TRADITIONAL FIVE DECADE FILIGREE ROSARY WITH 3 FILIGREED RELIQUARY
 
PENDANTS PROBABLY COLLECTED DURING A PILGRIMAGE TO HOLY SITES.
(length of rosary unknown)

~ BEADS and CROSS ~

TRADITIONAL CREDO CROSS IS SET ON THE PENDANT
ABOVE THE FILIGREE RELIQUARY CROSS. "THE CROSS IS
 
INLAYED WITH MOTHER OF PEARL AND SOME NICE
PENDANTS", SAYS THE COLLECTOR.
(bead composition unknown)

~ STANHOPE CROSS ~

A TRADITIONAL 'STANHOPE CROSS'
OUR COLLECTOR SAYS, "THIS IS A TYPICAL
ROSARY CROSS (1870 - 1890). THERE IS A

SMALL LENS INSIDE THE CROSS (CENTER)
AND IF YOU ARE LOOKING THROUGH THE
LENS YOU CAN SEE A PICTURE OF A
CONVENT. CARVED BONE."

... ABOUT STANHOPE PEEPHOLES ...
Named after the Third Earl of Stanhope but not invented by him, these tiny peepholes seem to have followed the invention of the photograph in the mid 1800's. They were especially popular from 1870 - 1920s and were generally made through the 1970s altho may still be found made by Stanhope Microworks. Tiny images of all sorts of things including people, vacation spots and holy places and saints were popular in not only crosses but all kinds of items such as novelty pocket knives, letter openers, needle casese and crosses. Some of these images are the size of a pin head and are set with a tiny magnifying glass. For more information - go to Google and enter 'Stanhope Microworks'.
 

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