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.
On a journey to the sacred sites of Ireland, visitors would buy an Irish Horn rosary as a souvenir of their travels through Ireland. Unique to Ireland, these rosaries were produced from the 1800s to the mid 20th century at which time their production was stopped. At sometime in the past, I know I read about a ban on using horn but I can't find the reference anymore. I believe the last rosaries were made in the 1970s.
The beads, center and cross may all be made from horn. Other rosaries have metal centers or celluloid centers and crosses. But, all Irish horn rosaries had horn beads. Some were natural brown or tan in color, while others were dyed red or green. Some have a metal corpus on the cross- I have seen aluminum and also silver. The beige color corpus, most common to these rosaries, is usually made of celluloid.
Right now, I have one Irish Horn Rosary on The Sacred Bead. You can find it on Antique Rosaries page 11. They go quickly, as they have become quite a collector item. Said to have been all handmade, these are usually sturdy rosaries with plenty of use left in them. They are a wonderful gift for someone of Irish heritage!
Natural horn beads and cross with a celluloid corpus. Note the interesting lyre shaped center. This rosary is in a private collection.
Irish Horn Rosary with dyed beads and aluminum center and corpus.
Below is a nice variety of vintage/antique Irish Horn rosaries showing various colors of beads, types of centers and crucifixes.
This is a wonderful example of a 1950s Civelli rosary that has been so worn from repeated prayer that almost all detail has worn away. These rosaries are beautiful at whatever stage they are found in. Whether pristine and never used or prayed upon for over a half a century, they are one of the most unique rosaries produced in the 20th century. They were a special commemorative rosary for the Holy Year in 1950 and designed by the Italian sculptor Civelli. Several versions were produced, one with the Holy Year center and another with a Queen of Peace center with a soil from the Roman Catacombs in the reverse of the center. This one has had medals attached from sacred sites. The Civelli rosaries are made from "ivorine," a celluloid type plastic made to resemble ivory. Celluloid was quite popular as a faux ivory material, as real ivory has always been rare and expensive. I find this rosary quite fascinating- the extreme wear has really made it look more like real ivory.
Although this rosary is in my private collection as a rare example, you can find many wonderful antique rosaries on The Sacred Bead. I will be adding more as the holiday season approaches.
This is such an unusual rosary for quite a few reasons. First, it is a strung rosary from Bavaria in Germany. For centuries, all rosaries were strung- the linked wire rosary is actually a rather modern invention from the 1700s or slightly before. Looking at most early European paintings, you'll see people holding or wearing large strung rosaries. This tradition remained until very recently in Bavaria- although some rosaries are linked, the majority are strung. Note also that the rosary has six decades rather than five, also common among Bavarian rosaries.
The Ave beads are gorgeous faceted givre glass with a pale peachy tan color and clear glass. These may be German or Austrian. The faceting gives them a lovely sparkling appearance.
Of note is the 4" inlaid crucifix with skull and crossbones. Although my pictures don't show the detail of the feet, this crucifix is one that shows four nails rather than three- the feet are separate rather than overlapping with a single nail. There is a common, yet highly inaccurate, rumor on the internet that the four nails mean the crucifix is dated prior to 1830. This is a prime example of why that is not an accurate statement. This crucifix is definitely a 20th century crucifix and has four nails. I would date this rosary to the middle decades of the 20th century.
This is a true collector rosary, rare and unique. It could also serve as a rosary for use as it appears to be well strung on nylon. You cannot use the stringing material to date Bavarian rosaries, as they were commonly restrung numerous times.
See this rosary and many other incredible antique and vintage rosaries for sale on The Sacred Bead. This rosary is now on special on Antiques Page 3!
Fabulous Bavarian Rosary- Rosenkranz- with six decades of givre beads and a four inch Skull and Crossbones Crucifix.
Reverse of the crucifix
Beautiful faceted givre beads- each one is cut, not molded.
Although most of The Sacred Bead's customers come to enjoy the antique rosary beads, I have been getting requests for more skull rosaries- the two I had sold long ago and haven't been replaced yet. I am currently working on making some gorgeous ones and will have them on the website by the end of August.
I see many questions online about what and why skulls are placed on rosaries, as people have forgotten the long tradition in Europe of placing a skull on a rosary. Known as a momento mori, the skull is there as a contemplative tool for remembering our mortality and as a reminder of Christ's triumph over death. Antique rosaries used by priests and nuns in Europe frequently had skulls on them for this reason. Most of these beautiful antique rosaries are quite rare and thus very expensive. As an more affordable alternative, modern rosaries made with skull beads make an excellent alternative. I do know that these have become quite popular and are frequently worn; it is not up to me to dictate what you do with a rosary you purchase from The Sacred Bead. Of course, I would love to see them exclusively used in prayer, but I am aware that that may not always be the case.
As with all my designer rosaries, only the finest materials are used. Several skull rosaries will feature antique and vintage crucifixes. They may have coral, turquoise, or bone beads. The skulls are made from ox bone, palm nuts, magnesite and glass. Each one is unique, so once it is sold, there will never be another made just like it. When making rosaries, I avoid a lot of "fancy," instead I like to highlight the elegance and simplicity of beautiful natural materials.
Antique and Vintage Crucifixes on Several of the Skull Rosaries.
Skull beads are ox bone, magnesite and other materials. The ave beads are sea coral, ox bone, turquoise and other fine materials.
Just letting everyone know that The Sacred Bead is having a store-wide 20% off sale. If you have been wanting an antique or vintage rosary- now is the time to make your purchase! Rosaries make extraordinary gifts- not only are these incredible antiques, many of them are appropriate for daily use. I will always let you know in the description if I think and antique rosary is too fragile for frequent use.
You'll find rosaries in all price ranges and ages- I specialize in antique French rosaries but offer a wide range of beautiful items. Don't forget to browse through the vastly expanded Antique and Vintage Crucifix section!
Fabulous antique rosary of natural Mediterranean coral, mother of pearl and sterling- this is the reverse of the highly detailed crucifix.
Elegant vintage rosary with black beads and sterling.
A magnificent vintage 15 decade rosary covered with medals- a wonderful French rosary!
Beautiful antique crucifix with skull and crossbones.
Come and enjoy the site- it is the most extensive collection of antique rosaries on the internet! And, as always, I welcome your questions about rosaries you have and may not be sure of their age, materials or origins. Just send me a picture and I will be more than happy to help you identify your rosary!
Here are two vintage rosaries made of spina Christi beads, the seeds from a thorny plant said to be what Christ's Crown of Thorns was made of. Most information points to these beads being from the Zizyphus spina-christi plant, native to the Middle East. But, one rosary is made from the actual seeds, while the other is made of plastic beads produced to resemble spina Christi beads. Can you tell which is which?
The beads on the left are real, while the ones on the right are plastic. The biggest clue is the uniformity of the shape of the plastic beads. Looking closely (but not shown in the pictures), you can see a little line from the mold that the beads were formed in running along the outside of each bead. Compare the variations in color in the beads on the left, the richer shine and the difference in shapes. The holes in plastic beads will always be right at the top and bottom of the beads, whereas the holes in the actual seeds may be a little off center.
Another clue is the plastic beads will lay perfectly flat. The variations in the size and shape of the real beads generally prevent them from all laying flat.
Here they are jumbled together- can you see the difference now?
Another clue might be the age of the rosary based on materials. The center of the real seed rosary is an old Art Deco style and you can see the brass beneath the silver plating. The center on the right is made of some kind of white metal, possibly pewter, commonly used in the last half of the 20th century. Although, dating a rosary does not guarantee it has authentic spina Christi beads, generally, the older the rosary, the more likely the seeds will be real.
Hopefully, this will help you in your rosary collecting. Remember, there really is nothing wrong with plastic, although, I must admit, I have a real aversion to it!
Find a wonderful selection of antique and vintage rosaries on The Sacred Bead. I am always very careful with describing rosaries, their age and what they are made of. If I don't know or am not sure, I'll always state that.
What is French Ivory? Antique beads, hair accessories, dresser sets were all made of French Ivory and are collector items today. This faux ivory, created from celluoid, is a man made early plastic created to simulate expensive ivory. Discovered in the mid-1800s it was popular during the later half of the 19th century and into first few decades of the 20th century. The beads, the center and the crucifix on this lovely old rosary all have banding that resembles the graining found in real ivory. I believe this rosary is from the 1920s through 1940s based on the style of link- it's sometimes very hard to date a rosary though, it could be earlier. This is the sweetest little rosary- perfect for the rosary collector! Quite unusual and hard to find, it is in excellent vintage/antique condition. See this rosary and many other antique rosaries on The Sacred Bead- the largest collection of fine antique and vintage rosaries for sale on the internet.
Note the beautiful sterling and enamel French medal of Lourdes on this adorable rosary. The crucifix is hand carved- my camera couldn't get the detail.
This rosary is now on special on Antiques page 5 at The Sacred Bead.
I recently got an email from a lady thanking me for my posts on the added skulls and drop of blood beads on eBay. I love to head over to eBay and check out what is going on there, but I see more and more that disturbs me lately. Recently I've seen a good number of rosaries described as "vintage" or "antique" that are completely altered by the seller- completely! Although the seller states that some items on the rosary may have been added after the rosary was made, what I am seeing are completely reworked, altered rosaries. This would be fine if they were being sold as "altered" but they are not. They are listed as vintage rosaries or antique rosaries.
I know it is tempting for sellers to try to find a "trick" to make their rosaries sell well, but it is a dishonest practice to represent any completely reworked item as truly vintage or antique. I also am seeing that the sellers doing these additions and alterations tend to wrap themselves in a cloak of religion. I find this quite disturbing, adding to their deceptive practices.
The result is to prey upon inexperienced buyers who are not familiar enough with true antique rosaries to know the difference. This is deception, and the buyers are unaware they are purchasing something that is not an antique rosary. They may be even more persuaded to buy due to the seeming religious atmosphere built by the sellers in their auctions.
How can a collector protect themselves? The lady who wrote to me said she would never buy on eBay again after she finally got the seller to confess that she had added and changed the rosary. There are hundreds of sincere sellers on eBay, maybe thousands, so it's only a few who are ruining the experience for rosary collectors.
When you purchase an antique rosary, there is usually the intention of passing the rosary down through the family. This is even more upsetting to me, as these beloved descendants will have something that is not really an authentic antique rosary, rather a 21st century rosary that might have vintage beads or some other parts.
Protect yourself by learning everything you can about authentic antique rosaries. Know the styles, know what is common and what is so odd that it just can't be authentic. Watch a wide variety of auctions, watch prices. The biggest clue is if one seller has rosary after rosary that has a feature that no other rosary you've ever seen has, then something just isn't right. I'm seeing modern brass/bronze filigree findings adhered to vintage crucifixes, strange dangly things, centers that are definitely not antique, numerous drop of blood beads and the ever-popular Chinese skull beads from Buddhist malas added to rosaries.
All of this is just fine if the seller is honest and calls these rosaries altered or modern reworks. Some are quite interesting and beautiful, but they are not authentic antique rosaries. Once the center and crucifix have been replaced, new medals attached, Chinese bone skull beads attached and whatever else- the rosary is no longer considered an antique rosary.
Hopefully, I have armed you with some knowledge and you will be able to spot these deceptive practices. If in doubt, write to the seller, asking if the ornaments on the rosary, crucifix and center are original to it. If they aren't, then you have the knowledge you need to make a decision about bidding on the rosary.
I'd love to add pictures, but I'm not going to. I don't want to single out any particular sellers. I would just like to see buyers who are fully aware of what they are buying so I don't have more people writing about their disappointing eBay experiences.
Just a reminder- nothing is ever altered at The Sacred Bead. Antique rosaries are just the way I found them- I don't even clean them, as some collectors want them in their complete antique state! Nothing is ever added or altered unless a small repair is required- and if it is, I will always state that. I try to thoroughly research every rosary and give the most accurate information possible. If I don't know something for sure, I will always say! Feel free to email me at The Sacred Bead if you'd like me to preview a rosary for you or have any questions. I've been doing a lot of previewing lately and I'm always happy to provide that service!
Fabulous Antique Crucifix with Skull and Crossbones from Europe. This is over 5" tall! If you want to buy an antique crucifix, look on The Sacred Bead- don't wait if you see something you love- everything is definitely one of a kind and when it's gone, it's gone!
Vintage French Rosary Ring
Beautiful old cross with Our Virgin of Guadalupe- this is made of silver and glass- just lovely!
Old gilt brass Byzantine style relic crucifix.
Incredible antique silver filigree cross!
Gorgeous vintage Zuni silver and turquoise cross.
Antique crucifix from France- 1800s!
Beautiful sliding medal with relic from St. Anne de Beaupre in Canada.
Sterling St Christopher medal dated 1950 on the reverse. Wonderful old religious medal.
Antique crucifix from France. Crucifixes with the skull and crossbones are highly sought after.
I am currently working on updating and adding to the antique crucifixes on The Sacred Bead. If you are looking for an antique crucifix or an unusual vintage crucifix be sure to look in the newly expanded "Antique Crucifixes and Medals" section. In addition to antique crucifixes, I am adding antique and vintage religious medals and other religious artifacts. As usual, I seem to prefer items from Europe but I'm trying to find and add all kinds of crucifixes and crosses including some vintage turquoise and silver crosses. Visit The Sacred Bead and enjoy the new antique crucifixes and medals section! If you are looking for the perfect antique rosary for sale or a beautiful antique crucifix, look no further than The Sacred Bead!
This is an absolutely wonderful rosary dating from sometime in the 30s to 50s and holding 15 medals that commemorate journeys to Christian sacred sites. What a wonderful piece of history. I'm proud to present this incredible rosary on The Sacred Bead! This is a complete, 15 decade rosary, difficult to find without all the medals. In addition to the medals it also has an inlaid crucifix with skull and crossbones at the foot of the cross.
At each Pater bead, a medal has been attached with an S-loop link and jump ring. There are four medals from Lourdes, an aluminum crucifix and an additional 10 medals. They include a beautiful one from Rome with Pope Pius XI who was Pope from 1922-1939. There is an Our Lady of Salette, Our Lady of Myans, a beautiful silver Guardian Angel and St. Joseph, St Christopher and more. Several are lovely blue enamel on metal. I'm including lots of pictures! If you want to buy an antique rosary, The Sacred Bead has one of the best selections on the internet!
The inlaid crucifix with skull and crossbones along with some of the medals.
Note the blue enamel medals. See this rosary and many, many other antique rosaries on The Sacred Bead.
This rosary is now on special on page 10 of the Antiques section at The Sacred Bead. Rosary has sold, thank you and hope you enjoy!
Simply a beautiful historic rosary- could easily be used daily as it has the extra-strong links that have double wire, these rarely come apart!
