For centuries, people went on pilgrimages to holy places. It was often a long, hard, and dangerous journey. If you were wealthy, you might have carried a portable shrine to aid in your on-the-road devotions. This mixed media piece is my homage to those small shrines. It is a mixed media piece inside of a vintage tobacco tin. The tin has been altered with a faux rust finished. Inside is a red velvet plaque honouring Bernadette of Lourdes. On the other side is a French holy card from the 1890s and a tiny key. The cover is embellished with vintage mother of pearl buttons and a distressed rosary pochette. Inside is a vintage dizaine, a kind of mini-rosary, made of milk glass, with a metal crucifix and religious medal of Mary, circa 1930s. (Please note, the leather pocket is delicate and the dizaine should be removed and replaced very gently.) To see a larger version of any image, just click on a photograph below.)

Piece measures 4.25″ x 3.25″ x 1″ (11cm x 8.5 cm x 2.25cm). Cost is £115 GBP with worldwide shipping of £10. This is approximately $153 USD + $13 but please use this currency [read more]

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This lovely piece is a large vintage rosary from France. Its hand-cut beads and art nouveau linking charm of typical of rosaries from the 1890s. The linking charm consists of delicately made lilies and a small cross, and has a gold-tone centre. The Christ-figure on the cruficix is silver.

The rosary measures 22″ (56cm) from end to end. The crucifix measures 2.5″ (6cm). While this would make a special devotional object, it can also be treasured as a piece of antique French jewelry to be displayed or worn as a necklace. (To see larger detail, click on any image below.)

Cost is £135 GBP plus £10 worldwide shipping (£2 for the UK). this is approximately $181  USD plus $14 but please use this currency converter for the exact exchange rate. To purchase, please contact me at [read more]

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SOLD: This is a one-of-a-kind art journal with mixed pages that have been boiled then steeped in a bath of tea and rust. Many pages have been eco printed with red and yellow onion skins, and there is mark making throughout with rust. The pages have been ribbon-bound into a vintage book cover from 1896 (The Chando Classics: William Cowper) with sari silk ribbon in an oxblood red.

It measures 5″ x 8″ (13cm x 18.5cm) and has 48 pages (96 sides). Cost is £85 plus £10 shipping. (This is approximately $115 USD with $15 shipping but please use this currency converter for exact exchange rate.) To claim, please email me at kelly@bookandpaperarts.com and I will send you an online invoice.

(I get a lot of questions about how to work on these bold, messy, dyed pages. Here’s a video with some [read more]

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This is an exquisite, large French rosary from the 1910s. The beads are multi-faceted clear crystal. The rosary has a detailed silver crucifix with art nouveau carving on both sides and an art nouveau linking bead with tiny angel face on either side. It measures 24″ (61cm) from end to end.

This would make a lovely present as a devotional item or for someone who simply loves vintage French jewelry and brocante (the rosary can be worn as a necklace).

Cost is £125 GBP. This is approximately $167 but please use this currency converter for exact exchange rate. Shipping within the UK is £4. Worldwide shipping is £11 (approximately $15). To purchase or for any questions, please send me an email at kelly@bookandpaperarts.com or go to Etsy [read more]

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SOLD:  This is an exquisite set: a large rosary and matching bracelet. They are French and date from early 1910s. The beads are multi-faceted crystal in an amethyst colour. The rosary has a detailed silver crucifix and an art nouveau linking bead. It measures 20″ (51cm) from end to end. The bracelet has a charm/medal with Mary on one side and “Souvenir NdeLourdes” inscribed on the back.

This would make a lovely present as a devotional item or for someone who simply loves vintage French jewelry and brocante to be worn as a necklace and bracelet. (Click on any image for larger version.)

Cost is £185 GBP. This is approximately $250 but please use this currency converter for exact exchange rate. Shipping within the UK is £4. Worldwide shipping tracked is £10 (approximately $15). To purchase or for any questions, please send me an email at [read more]

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