Opaline Pearl Rosary, Bronze and Oak Cross, Puffed Bronze Link Medal, France circa 1820

Opaline Pearl Rosary, Bronze and Oak Cross, Puffed Bronze Link Medal, France circa 1820

On this beautiful 19th century rosary the cross is of bronze inlaid with oak and the link medal is puffed bronze.

The beads are opaline glass pearls with each 'Our Father' slightly larger than the 'Hail Mary' beads. Opaline glass is a decorative style of glass made in France from 1800 to the 1890s, though it reached its peak of popularity during the reign of Napoleon III in the 1850s and 1860s. The glass is opaque or slightly translucent, and can appear either white or brightly coloured in shades of green, blue, pink, black, lavender and yellow. The glass has a high lead content which defined it as "demi-crystal" or semi-crystal. The primary influences on this style of glass were 16th century Venetian milk glass, and English white glass produced in 18th century Bristol.

The link medal is a heart and has The Virgin Mary on one side and simple cross on the other.
This lovely rosary measures 45 cm in length. The cross measures 4 cm by 2 cm and the link medal is 1cm by 1cm by 0.5cms.