Five Wounds ~ The Passionist Chaplet
One of the most unusual rosaries in my collection. Brass medals with coiled brass spacers. The spacers are over an inch long. The medalion shows a Standing Maddona, with the incription B. V. Addorlorata. The reverse has the Sacred Heart in a starburst halo surmounted by a cross, with the inscription Sacro Cuore De Gesu. The medals have a 3/4 Madonna, with only one sword and no inscription. The wounds are depicted simply, only the heart has a halo. All have a plain raised border.
The beads are what make this rosary unusual. Most of them are boxwood; each is a slightly different sizes and shape, indicating they are handmade. In addition, there are a couple of round wood beads, a boxwood bead carved as a rose, two bone beads, and a rose petal bead. These may be replacement beads, however, the brass wire linking them is consistent throughout - exactly the same wire for each bead, with the same same fine old patina as the medals and spacers, strongly suggesting the beads are, if not original, very old replacements.
There is one blue glass 'Prosser' bead attached as if it were a medal. The wire attaching this bead is also brass, but a slightly smaller gauge. These blue Prosser beads were popular trade beads and used to be given as prizes in catholic schools on the American frontier, especially Indian Schools.
Delicate Aluminum medals showing a 3/4 Madonna with the inscription Mater Dolorosa. Medallion has the 5 Wounds on the reverse, with starburst rays of light. Both sides have a raised-bead border. The artwork on the Medallion is a different Madonna than the one shown on the medals. The medals have a plain border, each wound is surrounded by a 12-pointed halo. The medals all carry the Mater Dolorosa inscription.
Black oval beads, probably Gutta Percha. Bead links are steel, S style chain is aluminum.
This rosary is part of a set, found with Seven Sorrows W.
19th century. Brass medals showing a 3/4 Madonna with the inscription Mater Dolorosa Ora Pro Nobis. Medallion has the 5 Wounds on the reverse, with starburst rays of light. Both sides have a plain raised border.
The artwork on the Medallion is a different Madonna than the one shown on the medals, showing the blessed mother from the waist up. The medals all carry the Mater Dolorosa Ora Pro Nobis inscription. There is no halo or starburst behind the wounds. Each hand and foot is carved with unusual care and delicacy.
The small round beads are dark reddish brown, and appear to be boxwood but may be Bois Durci. Bead links and chain are steel.
No country of origin, makers marks of metal content marks.
From the House of Vachette, 19th century. Brass medals showing the blessed mother from the waist up, with the inscription Virgo Septum Dolorum. Medallion has the 5 Wounds on the reverse, with starburst rays of light. Both sides have a plain raised border.
The artwork on the Medallion is a slightly different Madonna than the one shown on the medals. The medals all carry the Virgo Septum Dolorum inscription. There is no halo or starburst behind the wounds. These medals are the same as the aluminum Seven Sorrows medal shown in 7sorrowsZZ.
The small round beads are dark brown, almost black, and appear to be boxwood. Bead links and chain are steel.
No country of origin or metal content marks, but there is a makers mark of a small cross or clover. This mark indicates the famed Vachette engraving house of Paris, designers of the original Miraculous Medal.
"Jerusalem" style crucifix, probably made in pre-WWII Palestine. Five sets of five beads suggest a 5 Wounds rosary, but there are no medals so it hard to be certain. Hand turned wooden beads and wooden cross are dyed red and varnished. Cross has a relic center, most likely meant to hold sacred earth.
Red 'Tin Cut' beads, brass links. The chain is non-magnetic. The Aluminum medals are fairly plain, but the hands and feet in particular are beautifully detailed. The medals have a bail at the top but are pierced through the medal itself at the bottom - all the medals are the same so it appears that this is the original design, not a fix for a missing bail. There are no inscriptions.
No medallion. there is a four-way cross medal, probably added later. No country of origin or content marks.
