Gorgeous Vintage Virgin of Guadalupe Rosary

This is such a special rosary with beautiful encased glass beads and a magnificent crucifix. Dating from the middle of the 20th century,  Our Lady of Guadalupe is featured on both the crucifix and reverse of the center. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

 Simply gorgeous crucifix with The Virgin of Guadalupe at the top.

 Lovely double capped, or encased, glass beads.

 

Our Lady of Guadalupe on the reverse of the center. See this wonderful rosary on The Sacred Bead.
It is told that the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared to the Aztec man Juan Diego on December 9, 1531 and again later when her image miraculously formed on his tilma or cape. He had gathered flowers from the hillside in the dead of winter at her direction in order to show the Bishop proof of his vision of the Virgin. She told him not to open the cape full of flowers until he was with the Bishop and when he arrived, low and behold, the flowers dropped to the floor and the famous image of the Virgin took their place on his cape. The Virgin of Guadalupe is called the Patroness of the Americas and is one of the most beloved images of the Virgin Mary.  Juan Diego was canonized in 2002.

Antique Rosaries from Lourdes

Undoubtedly the most frequently found rosaries from France, both new and antique, are the wonderful rosaries from the site of Mary's appearance to Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. Millions and millions of people have gone to Lourdes for healing, and there are over 60 officially recognized miraculous healings that have occurred at Lourdes in a century and a half. There may be thousands of unrecognized healings!
Most pilgrims come away with a souvenir of their journey to Lourdes, and rosaries from Lourdes have a long tradition of making a lasting reminder of a journey to the healing waters of Lourdes. Beautiful sterling and natural coral were popular yet expensive rosaries  during the 1800s. Rare and beautiful today, they were a true treasure then as they are now. More moderate rosaries had simple wooden beads and crucifixes. In the mid-20th century many crucifixes had a tiny vial of healing water from the Grotto of Lourdes embedded in the crucifix. One of the most interesting of the modern rosaries is the 100th anniversary of the apparition of Mary at Lourdes featuring little bubble beads made of lucite that were rumored to have been filled with healing water. Each of the Ave beads has a tiny blue Mary inside, while the Pater beads usually have the Sacred Heart of Jesus inside. Pictured are just a few rosaries from the famous Lourdes found on The Sacred Bead. The Sacred Bead has an amazing selection of antique rosaries for sale, also vintage rosaries and antique and vintage crucifixes.

 The famous 100th Anniversary Rosary from 1958, note the tiny blue images inside each bead and the grotto of Lourdes on the center.

 

This beautiful 1800s single decade sterling and mother of pearl rosary has "Lourdes" impressed on the back of the cross and would have been a treasured reminder of a pilgrimage to Lourdes. 

 Late 1800s French Jet (black glass) mourning rosary with ND de Lourdes imprinted on the back of the crucifix.

 Beautiful rosary from Lourdes. Note the lovely red faceted glass beads. See all of them on The Sacred Bead.

Buying an Antique or Vintage Rosary - An Eco-Friendly Choice

For some of us, concern for the environment is a life-long commitment, for others it is an equally heart-felt but new concern. It doesn't matter where you are on this spectrum, the important thing is that purchasing an antique or vintage rosary really is an eco-friendly choice. It is a form of effective concept of recycling and reusing an item rather than buying something new. The Sacred Bead has a wonderful selection of antique rosaries for sale to help you pick the perfect rosary for yourself or a friend.
Just think, there is no mining, no manufacturing, only transportation via the postal service. It drastically reduces your carbon footprint! Not only do you save resource and energy, you have a piece of history and an exceptional work of art unlike anything produced today. The Sacred Bead has the largest selection of antique and vintage rosaries in one place on the internet! So come visit and be a part of the growing green consumer revolution. Our beautiful planet appreciates every effort. I try to use recycled packaging materials whenever possible so don't be surprised if your rosary comes in a peppermint candy tin or is wrapped with slightly used bubble wrap!

 Coral reefs around the world are dying at an alarming rate. Antique rosaries have beautiful natural Mediterranean coral unlike the dyed coral used today. Coral harvesting is now regulated and restricted by law, so buying an antique coral rosary is the most ecologically sound way to have a rosary made of this incredibly beautiful natural material. This rosary is in a private collection.

 Beautiful antique rosary with red glass beads from France.

 Very unusual 1800s rosary with sterling, mother of pearl and antique glass beads.

 Fabulous antique rosary with lapis lazuli beads. The lapis mines in Afghanistan have been mined for thousands of years and are reaching the end of their existence. Deep blue lapis like this is almost impossible to get new.

This is a gorgous vintage sterling and crystal Creed rosary, a fabulous example of a beautifully preserved vintage rosary by one of the leading rosary manufacturers in the world. See dozens of unique antique and vintage rosaries at The Sacred Bead.

1950s Civelli Rosary

 
Here is a little history on the Civelli Rosary. There are several versions and different colorations but all were produced in the 1950's and designed by the Italian sculptor Civelli. They were made of "Ivorine" which is a plastic resin material similar to celluloid. One type of this rosary is the 1950's Civelli Rosary with Regina Pacis, Queen of Peace, center with relic soil from the Catacombs of Rome embedded in the reverse of the center. The beads portray the Litany of the Blessed Virgin and the Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. Latin inscriptions are on the reverse of each bead. The original tag "Made in Italy" and "Marque Depose" (Trade Marked) may be present on some rosaries. 

The first Civelli rosary is the famous Jubilee Year MCML (1950) Civelli Rosary. Originally designed by the famous Italian sculptor Civelli in the late 1940's for the 1950 Holy Year, this was the first issue of the rosary and has a center with the Holy Spirit and Anno Sancto (Holy Year) 1950 (in Roman Numerals MCML) on the reverse. The Civelli rosary is one of the few patented rosaries. 
 
These are incredibly beautiful rosaries, and are increasingly difficult to find. Although many have never been used, the ones that show wear from prayer are especially beautiful. The beads and crucifix  resemble ivory more and more as they age and are polished with touch.  I have rarely seen a broken Civelli rosary, so most are sturdy enough for continued daily use even though they are over 60 years old.

 The above Civelli rosary is somewhat worn from prayer and has a mellow aging that makes it even more lovely to behold. See it on The Sacred Bead.