An Antique Art Glass Rosary with Beads That Resemble Bloodstone

This is a lovely antique French rosary with magnificent art glass beads that very closely resemble the semi-precious gemstone, bloodstone or blood jasper. The beads and the stone are a deep mossy green with specks of red. Since the Middle Ages and possibly before, the stone was believed to contain drops of Jesus' blood. It is one of the ancient stones that people have long believed has healing and protective qualities. The beads on this rosary are so realistic looking, without having another antique rosary with actual bloodstone beads to compare it to, I might have been fooled!
European bead makers of the 18th and 19th centuries were masters of glass beads resembling gemstones. Garnet, lapis, agate, amethyst and coral beads were rare and expensive, so the glass bead artists developed very realistic beads at a greatly reduced price. Real jet was very rare, making French jet, the black glass that looks like jet, extremely popular for both rosaries and jewelry.
The simplest test to tell if something is a gemstone or glass (this works with quartz type stones- rock crystal (pure quartz), agate, amethyst, citrine, chalcedony etc. but not with jet, coral or other organic gemstones) is to compare the temperature of the stone beads with similar glass beads. The stone beads will always feel cooler to the touch. Other clues are a uniformity of pattern found in glass beads but usually absent in the stone beads. That was another hint that this rosary was actually made with glass beads. Quartz based stone is harder than glass and usually shows less wear than similar glass beads.
This beautiful antique French rosary can be found on the Antiques Page 32 of The Sacred Bead.

 The beads are a deep green art glass with red inclusions, made to resemble bloodstone or blood jasper, a stone said to have drops of Jesus' blood within.

 Note the stylized M center and very typical antique French crucifix.