Antique Natural Seed Bead Rosary with Bronze Crucifix, Circa 1920s

Rosary of round, mottled brown natural seed beads on brass links, with a bronze crucifix and INRI title.

Long before glass and plastic beads became cheap, rosaries were strung from seeds gathered in the Holy Land and around the Mediterranean. Among the most prized were the seeds of the Ziziphus spina-christi, the thorny tree traditionally said to have supplied Christ's Crown of Thorns, and pilgrims brought these rosaries home as devotional souvenirs. Natural seed beads vary slightly in size and shape, with holes that sit a little off center, as seen here.

Light wear consistent with age.