This is a 1958, 100 year Lourdes Apparition Anniversary rosary that came from France.
Metal Tag inscribed: Brevetto N 585850 - Italy (Legatura Alpacca)
Originally the hollow beads on this rosary were filled with Holy Water. I've never seen one that still has the water in it. Most of them have a clouded appearance from sediment in the evaporated water. This one is no exception, as most of the beads are clouded from the sediment. Look closely at the pictures.
The Hail Mary beads are 7 mm wide, flat and have a tiny blue Virgin Mary figure in them. The Our Father beads are 9mm heart shaped and have a tiny blue Sacred Heart figure in them. The center medal is a blue enameled Lourdes Apparition medal and actually has the centennial dates (1858 - 1958) on it. The Crucifix is really beautiful and has tiny blue roses, JHS and thorns in it. The center medal and Crucifix are Alpaca. (an alloy of zinc, nickel, and iron.) It has properties similar to stainless steel, in that is does not rust or tarnish. It is widely used today in Europe, mainly in jewelry, because of its strength and durable shiny finish
This is 60 years old peice and I notice small crack on the inlaid lucite of the cross. All peices i believe are there and please study the pictures and bid with confidence.
