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Passion Cross and Symbols
Date Added: 16 April 2006
This is a very detailed and a quite remarkably well made and designed display of the cross and multiple religious symbols. The Cross is made from wood with a near burgundy colored stain. The entire cross is ornately decorated with thin stripes of a wood veneer-like, thin rattan, or similar material that outlines the entire cross both top and bottom, front and back. Using the same material along with gold colored pieces, the artist made flower like patterns on the entire cross. There is a plaque with an "INRI" written on the plaque. Where the cross arm joins with the upright of the cross is a crown of thorns with long thorns extending from the crown. On one side of the cross arm is small hammer and on the other a pair of pliers. Both tools look to be made from metal. The cross sits on a base in an "X" shape. Between the base legs are pieces of paper which covered the bottom of the bottle. The paper now tends to curl up. Mounted on the base are two long poles, one is a spear and the other a sponge. The poles are stained dark and have the same rattan-like material wrapping the entire length of both poles in the shape of a spiral. The poles are attached to the cross with a "V" piece of wire. There is what looks like a carved wooden stake or nail on the base. On each side of the cross are very ornately decorated pedestals. On one pedestal is a metal axe and on the other a metal saw. On the back of the cross is a ornate ladder decorated like the spear and sponge with wrappings of the rattan. There are 5 rungs in the ladder. The is also a rooster made from real feathers. Midway on the back of the cross is a small lithograph that would indicate the Victorian era. The paper cutout, perhaps from a holy card, is an angel on one knee with the words: "Love's Offering." The bottle is sealed with a wooden shaft wrapped with the rattan-like material. Going through the shaft is a cross piece making the bottle impossible to open. Outside the bottle is a cone-like top with dark paint with alligatoring and much flaking in several locations. There is a distinct cross made from the rattan on both the front and back of the top. On each side of the top are what looks like a flower with four pedals.
Type: Passion Cross and Symbols   Maker's Name:
Category: Religious   Made Where:
Bottle Size: 5 3/4" x 2 1/8"   Year Made: 1870 - 1890
Bottle Type: Unidentified