Object Description
This is a distinctive antique French silver communion set, comprising a corpus Christi, St Mary and St Joseph, Circa 1880 in date.
The communion set is beautifully displayed in the original leather triptych easel case.
The craftsmanship is second to none throughout all aspects of this magnificent set which is sure to add an unparalleled touch of sacred art to your home.
Condition:
In excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation.
Dimensions in cm:
Height 17 cm x Width 19 cm x Depth 2 cm – When open
Height 17 cm x Width 9 cm x Depth 3 cm – Closed
Dimensions in inches:
Height 7 inches x Width 7 inches x Depth 1 inch – When open
Height 7 inches x Width 3 inches x Depth 1 inch – Closed
The Christian cross, seen as a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus, is the best-known symbol of Christianity. It is related to the crucifix (a cross that includes a corpus, usually a three-dimensional representation of Jesus’ body) and to the more general family of cross symbols, the term cross itself being detached from the original specifically Christian meaning in modern English (as in many other western languages).
The basic forms of the cross are the Latin cross with unequal arms (✝) and the Greek cross (✚) with equal arms, besides numerous variants, partly with confessional significance, such as the tau cross, the double-barred cross, triple-barred cross, cross-and-crosslets, and many heraldic variants, such as the cross potent, cross pattée, cross moline, cross fleury, etc.
For a few centuries, the emblem of Christ was a headless T-shaped Tau cross rather than a Latin cross. Elworthy considered this to originate from pagan druids who made Tau crosses of oak trees stripped of their branches, with two large limbs fastened at the top to represent a man’s arm; this was Thau or god.
Our reference: A4032