Saint Therese Of Liseux Collection, Rare Silver Plaque By Ateliers St. Joseph and Jean Balme, With Reliquary Folder, Circa 1920
The centre piece of this beautiful collection is the silver plaque of Saint Therese made by Ateliers Saint Joseph De Lisieux around 1921.
The workshop was set up by the nuns at Lisieux to ensure the quality and authenticity of the images, statues and other items that commemorated the life of the little saint.
The vast majority of the works produced there went to churches and cathedrals and, therefore, almost never come onto the market so this is a rare piece indeed.
The plaque was designed by Jean Balme, one of the most famous medallic artists in France at the time. It is set on to marble with a bronze surround that has been beautifully enamelled. On the rear is a substantial bronze back plate with a hinge.
All are set onto a lovely piece of marble, it has two fine cracks but they do not impact on the piece at all.
To accompany this lovely plaque is another item that came from the same family and that belong together.
It is a small leather pouch which was produced as a souvenir of a pilgrimage to Lisieux. On one side is an image of Saint Therese with underneath a small piece of cloth that has been touched to the body of the saint. On the other side is Agnus Dei - The Lamb of God, which is a small piece of a paschal candle.
Saint Therese of Liseux was born in France in 1873. She died in the convent at Liseux in 1897 of tuberculosis at just 24 years of age.
In her journal Therese wrote:
" I have always wanted to become a saint. Unfortunately when I have compared myself with the saints, I have always found that there is the same difference between the saints and me as there is between a mountain whose summit is lost in the clouds and a humble grain of sand trodden underfoot by passers-by. Instead of being discouraged, I told myself: God would not make me wish for something impossible and so, in spite of my littleness, I can aim at being a saint. It is impossible for me to grow bigger, so I put up with myself as I am, with all my countless faults. But I will look for some means of going to heaven by a little way which is very short and very straight, a little way that is quite new.
" We live in an age of inventions. We need no longer climb laboriously up flights of stairs; in well-to-do houses there are lifts. And I was determined to find a lift to carry me to Jesus, for I was far too small to climb the steep stairs of perfection. So I sought in holy Scripture some idea of what this life I wanted would be, and I read these words: "Whosoever is a little one, come to me." It is your arms, Jesus, that are the lift to carry me to heaven. And so there is no need for me to grow up: I must stay little and become less and less."
Therese understood that being holy did not require great deeds. Her 'little way' of loving God and doing something small each day inspired millions and set her on the path to sainthood.
The centre piece of this beautiful collection is the silver plaque of Saint Therese made by Ateliers Saint Joseph De Lisieux around 1921.
The workshop was set up by the nuns at Lisieux to ensure the quality and authenticity of the images, statues and other items that commemorated the life of the little saint.
The vast majority of the works produced there went to churches and cathedrals and, therefore, almost never come onto the market so this is a rare piece indeed.
The plaque was designed by Jean Balme, one of the most famous medallic artists in France at the time. It is set on to marble with a bronze surround that has been beautifully enamelled. On the rear is a substantial bronze back plate with a hinge.
All are set onto a lovely piece of marble, it has two fine cracks but they do not impact on the piece at all.
To accompany this lovely plaque is another item that came from the same family and that belong together.
It is a small leather pouch which was produced as a souvenir of a pilgrimage to Lisieux. On one side is an image of Saint Therese with underneath a small piece of cloth that has been touched to the body of the saint. On the other side is Agnus Dei - The Lamb of God, which is a small piece of a paschal candle.
Saint Therese of Liseux was born in France in 1873. She died in the convent at Liseux in 1897 of tuberculosis at just 24 years of age.
In her journal Therese wrote:
" I have always wanted to become a saint. Unfortunately when I have compared myself with the saints, I have always found that there is the same difference between the saints and me as there is between a mountain whose summit is lost in the clouds and a humble grain of sand trodden underfoot by passers-by. Instead of being discouraged, I told myself: God would not make me wish for something impossible and so, in spite of my littleness, I can aim at being a saint. It is impossible for me to grow bigger, so I put up with myself as I am, with all my countless faults. But I will look for some means of going to heaven by a little way which is very short and very straight, a little way that is quite new.
" We live in an age of inventions. We need no longer climb laboriously up flights of stairs; in well-to-do houses there are lifts. And I was determined to find a lift to carry me to Jesus, for I was far too small to climb the steep stairs of perfection. So I sought in holy Scripture some idea of what this life I wanted would be, and I read these words: "Whosoever is a little one, come to me." It is your arms, Jesus, that are the lift to carry me to heaven. And so there is no need for me to grow up: I must stay little and become less and less."
Therese understood that being holy did not require great deeds. Her 'little way' of loving God and doing something small each day inspired millions and set her on the path to sainthood.
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