18th c. Coral and Silver German Rosary Complete w/ Reliquary Fantastic

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18th c. Coral and Silver German Rosary Complete w/ Reliquary Fantastic:
$349.00

This beautiful, museum-quality rosary was made in what is now Germany sometime in the mid to late 1700s. It is a truly stunning piece! As a collector of vintage and antique rosaries, this is one of the most lovely, original pieces I have ever seen.

The beads are coral, the crucifix is silver, topped with a credo cross, and there is also a filigree reliquary strung with the beads.

The silver crucifix features a perpendicular bail, and an \"ex voto\" dangling from the bottom. There is a mark on the back in the shape of an asterisk.

Above the crucifix is a three-piece credo cross.

There is no center medal, which did not begin to appear on rosaries until the early to mid-1800s. Instead, green ribbon has been tied into a bow where the drop hangs from the circle.

The larger pater beads feature silver caps of a very early design, and there are small silver spacers above each bead cap.

The silver filigree reliquary features an image of the Virgin holding the baby Jesus on one side, and what appears to be an image of St. Joseph on the other. It was probably obtained on a pilgrimage to one of the great cathedrals in Europe.

The drop contains two capped Pater beads between which are three Ave beads. There are five full decades of Ave beads, each separated from the next by a capped Pater bead. Each decade contains 20 beads. The rosary is strung on what appears to be a piece of waxed cotton string.

The features of the crucifix, credo cross, beads, caps, reliquary, virtually everything about this rosary, date it very clearly to the period 1730–1780.

Coral was very rare and expensive in the 18th century, and would only have been used on a rosary belonging to a very wealthy merchant, a person of Royal lineage, or someone high in the church hierarchy.

The rosary measures 10 and 3/4 inches when pulled straight.

Due to its age and delicate condition, I do not recommend this rosary be used for regular prayer.

If you have any questions, or would like additional photos, please do not hesitate to ask!

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Thanks for your interest!