Vintage Virgin Mary Medallion
A vintage virgin mary medallion is a devotional pendant carrying centuries of French metalwork and personal faith.
Vintage Virgin Mary Medallion
A vintage virgin mary medallion takes the form of small circular or oval religious pendants and charms, originating predominantly from France. These items function primarily as wearable devotional pieces, often worn on a chain as a necklace.
The objects span several decades from the late nineteenth century through to the mid-twentieth century. Pieces from the nineteen-tens represent the majority of the selection.
Makers and designers working within French religious jewellery traditions produced these medals in gold, frequently incorporating devotional imagery such as Notre Dame of Lourdes or the Madonna and Child.
Materials and Technique
Metals used are predominantly eighteen-carat yellow, rose, and white gold, providing a durable and rich foundation for intricate miniature sculpture. Artisans combined this precious metal with luminous inserts of mother of pearl.
Surface decoration frequently involves enamel work, including plique-a-jour techniques which allow light to pass through translucent coloured sections. Additional embellishments include seed pearls and diamonds set into the gold frames or borders.
Materials recorded across the selection include eighteen-carat gold, enamel, mother of pearl, and seed pearls.
Defining Quality
The inclusion of specialised decorative elements such as plique-a-jour enamel or carefully matched seed pearls elevates the sophistication of the piece above plain engraved metal versions.
Emile Monier·Pageli Perriat·Emile Dropsy·Sellier·Pageri Perroud·Monet·Augis Grun·Serraz·Augis and Mazzoni
The Vintage Virgin Mary Medallion Glossary
- Medallion
- A large metal pendant, typically flat or slightly convex, bearing a pictorial or sculptural relief design. These objects were often worn as pendants or kept as personal devotional tokens.
- Plique-a-jour
- An enamelling technique where enamel is applied to cells without a backing, resembling miniature stained glass. This method lets light shine directly through the translucent coloured portions.
- Mother of pearl
- The iridescent internal layer of mollusc shells, carved into thin plates to form backgrounds for gold figures. It brings a shimmering natural texture to the centre of the pendant.
- Seed pearl
- A very small natural or cultured pearl, often used in clusters or borders around a central medallion. They impart a soft, muted lustre distinct from faceted gemstones.
- Charm
- A small decorative pendant attached to a bracelet or necklace. In this context, they serve as miniature religious medals.
Vintage Virgin Mary Medallion: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I wear a medallion pendant?
These medallions are typically suspended from a gold chain to be worn around the neck as a pendant necklace. Their modest scale suits daily wear either alone or layered with other chains.
Because many include integrated loops or bails, they easily attach to standard necklace chains or charm bracelets.
What materials are used in these pendants?
The primary material is eighteen-carat gold, seen in yellow, rose, and white colour variations. Artisans combined this with natural materials like mother of pearl and seed pearls.
Enamel work, including translucent plique-a-jour variants, adds colour and luminosity to the metallic portraits.
Are these pieces signed by makers?
Many examples bear the signatures or marks of notable French medallists and workshops from the period. These signatures help identify the specific artist responsible for the metal relief sculpture.
Signed pieces reflect established nineteenth and twentieth-century jewellery production traditions in France.