Three Precious Tiny Antique Bavarian Rosaries

Not only do I make rosaries but have an extensive collection of antique rosaries. These just arrived from Germany and I am simply thrilled with them! The word for rosary in German is rosenkranz and refers to any rosary, but you often see the Bavarian ones specifically called Rosenkranz. The history of rosaries is a rather difficult one to research as there is no one place where the information is compiled so I will tell you a little of what I know about these from the research I have done. The two rosaries on the right are the earliest ones, dating to the 1700's and are simple wooden rosaries used by the common man. The crosses are hand made of wood and silver. The cross on the right has a tiny inlay of mother of pearl. Note the Credo Cross above the main cross and how this one is actually in 3 pieces rather than one piece. There is also a tiny medal of the crucifixion attached from a pilgimage that the owner of this rosary took. Some Bavarian rosaries are rich with little medals and trinkets from pilgrimages. Beads are a simple wood with silver caps on the Pater beads. The center rosary is quite interesting. Each wooden bead had been inlaid with mother of pearl. Only a few beads still have the tiny mother of pearl inlay in the shape of a rounded cross, all of the beads have a little depression that had inlay but the centuries have seen the loss of almost all the inlay. This rosary also has 6 decades with a partial seventh rather than the usual 5. It probably had a full seven originally but over the decades the strings break and beads are lost.
The last rosary, the one on the left is more recent, dated to the mid to late 1800's. Note the filigree cross with credo cross above. Each bead is a tiny natural coral bead, beautiful Mediterranian coral which is now endangered. Coral has been used throughout history as a protective and healing substance, children were adorned with a tiny coral necklace and given miniature coral rosaries to keep away the evil eye and illness. Adults believed it could help keep a marriage harmonious, give health benefits and keep away evil. Always an expensive substance, coral was usually found in wealthier households.
I usually have at least one Bavarian rosary on my website The Sacred Bead, but I'm afraid these will remain in my private collection. Below is the reverse of the larger cross with hand engravings.