Antique Seven Sorrows Rosary, Rare Pure Aluminium Medals With Hand Carved Ebony Beads, Hallmarked, Circa 1860
It is extremely rare to find a genuine antique Seven Sorrows rosary and particularly one with hallmarked aluminium medals and hand carved ebony beads.
The first question is why do these aluminium medals have a French lozenge on them> The lozenge is a mark applied by French jewelers to items made from precious metal.
Today we think of aluminium as cheap and cheerful and is now the world's most abundant metal. However, in the early 18th century it was the most expensive metal in the world. To the point where, to show off his abundant wealth, Napoleon III emperor of France, had a dinner service made from aluminium and only kings and other emperors were allowed to use it. Lesser mortals had to make do with gold.
To demonstrate its increasing power and wealth the United States had a 6 lb cap of aluminium placed on top of the Washington Monument.
This stunning rosary dates from around 1860 and would have been extremely expensive at the time so would only have been possible for someone from the upper echelons of the aristocracy. The chain tests positive for pure silver.
As it is a seven sorrows rosary it has seven sets of seven beads and then three final beads leading to the last medal and is a rare collectors piece. It measures 45 centimetres in length but weighs just 10.2 grams.
Each of the medals has The Virgin Mary whose heart is pierced by seven swords, one for each sorrow. The inscription is Virgo Septem Dolourum - The Virgin of Seven Sorrows.
Seven of the medals have one sorrow on the other side.
The seven sorros of Mary are:
The prophecy of Simeon
The flight to Egypt
The loss of the Child Jesus for 3 days
Mary meets Jesus carrying the cross.
The Crucifixion of Jesus
The body of Jesus is taken down from the cross and placed in the arms of Mary.
The body of Jesus is placed in the tomb
The final medal shows Christ on the cross and the inscription is 'pro nobis mortuus est' - He Died For Us.
A full description of the seven sorrows and how to pray this rosary can be found here:
https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/centers/church21/sites/c21-engage/articles/the-seven-sorrows-for-today.html
On July 2, 2001, the Holy See released a declaration of Bishop Augustin Misago of Gikongoro, on apparitions that took place in 1982-83 in Kibeho, Rwanda indicating that they were worthy of belief. Visionaries reported appearances by Mary who identified herself as Our Lady of the Word. Mary instructed one of the visionaries (Marie-Claire Mukangango) to spread devotion of the Seven Sorrows Rosary. According to the visionary she is quoted as saying:
“One must meditate on the Passion of Jesus, and on the deep sorrows of His Mother. One must recite the Rosary every day, and also the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows of Mary, to obtain the favour of repentance.”
It is extremely rare to find a genuine antique Seven Sorrows rosary and particularly one with hallmarked aluminium medals and hand carved ebony beads.
The first question is why do these aluminium medals have a French lozenge on them> The lozenge is a mark applied by French jewelers to items made from precious metal.
Today we think of aluminium as cheap and cheerful and is now the world's most abundant metal. However, in the early 18th century it was the most expensive metal in the world. To the point where, to show off his abundant wealth, Napoleon III emperor of France, had a dinner service made from aluminium and only kings and other emperors were allowed to use it. Lesser mortals had to make do with gold.
To demonstrate its increasing power and wealth the United States had a 6 lb cap of aluminium placed on top of the Washington Monument.
This stunning rosary dates from around 1860 and would have been extremely expensive at the time so would only have been possible for someone from the upper echelons of the aristocracy. The chain tests positive for pure silver.
As it is a seven sorrows rosary it has seven sets of seven beads and then three final beads leading to the last medal and is a rare collectors piece. It measures 45 centimetres in length but weighs just 10.2 grams.
Each of the medals has The Virgin Mary whose heart is pierced by seven swords, one for each sorrow. The inscription is Virgo Septem Dolourum - The Virgin of Seven Sorrows.
Seven of the medals have one sorrow on the other side.
The seven sorros of Mary are:
The prophecy of Simeon
The flight to Egypt
The loss of the Child Jesus for 3 days
Mary meets Jesus carrying the cross.
The Crucifixion of Jesus
The body of Jesus is taken down from the cross and placed in the arms of Mary.
The body of Jesus is placed in the tomb
The final medal shows Christ on the cross and the inscription is 'pro nobis mortuus est' - He Died For Us.
A full description of the seven sorrows and how to pray this rosary can be found here:
https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/centers/church21/sites/c21-engage/articles/the-seven-sorrows-for-today.html
On July 2, 2001, the Holy See released a declaration of Bishop Augustin Misago of Gikongoro, on apparitions that took place in 1982-83 in Kibeho, Rwanda indicating that they were worthy of belief. Visionaries reported appearances by Mary who identified herself as Our Lady of the Word. Mary instructed one of the visionaries (Marie-Claire Mukangango) to spread devotion of the Seven Sorrows Rosary. According to the visionary she is quoted as saying:
“One must meditate on the Passion of Jesus, and on the deep sorrows of His Mother. One must recite the Rosary every day, and also the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows of Mary, to obtain the favour of repentance.”
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