Collectables -> Religions, Spirituality -> Christianity

Antique crucifixes are an interesting collector hobby, with collections that can range from very rough, early wooden carvings that barely resemble a modern crucifix, to brass or ivory depictions done more recently. While some people collect rather ornate crosses in all materials, a crucifix bears the likeness of Jesus Christ hanging upon the cross. Some churches display only this figure as the cross the figure was once fastened to has been lost through the years.

Whether an empty cross or a crucifix, few symbols stir such emotion in people today. Even those who don’t hold Christianity as a belief immediately recognized the symbol of the cross, whether it’s a cross or a crucifix that bears Jesus’ likeness. Antique crucifixes are often collected by people for their variety of designs and materials, and because it surrounds them items that help represent their faith. Some collect these along with other religious symbols like the menorah, old copies of the Bible, the Talmud or the Qu’ran, while some collect only Christian symbols of religion and faith.

When you’re looking for antique crucifixes, whether while strolling through shops or on eBay, an excellent place to find antiques, you’re faced with the problem of accurately dating a piece. You can be told it’s an antique and it may even look very old, but how do you determine the true age and worth of a piece? It can be difficult, but there are some notable distinctions among the earliest pieces, if you’re lucky enough to find any of this age.

The first crucifixes were created in the 7th century, and are easily distinguishable from older pieces. On these early crucifixes, Jesus word a shroud tunic, or a colbium, and his arms don’t seem to bend under his weight as he hangs from them. The arm are typically straight and show no signs of fatigue. This held until about the 10th century, when Jesus was no longer depicted as wearing a tunic but only a loincloth instead, and the figure of Christ on the cross was made to look more sympathetic and less triumphant, to evoke more pathos.

Antique crucifixes created during the 12th century show his arms stretched and bending under his weight, and the wound that was inflicted into Christ’s side by a soldier is clearly visible. A few crucifixes were created that bore the earlier depiction of a more strong and triumphant Jesus on one side, with the wounded and tired figure on the other.

Antique crucifixes created later emphasize Jesus’ pain and suffering, with detailed wounds and bruising. This trend continued and is still common in Latin folk art today. While Christian writers of the time wrote of a small ledge beneath the crucified person’s feet to keep the hands from pulling free of the nails, few crucifixes show little more than a sloped area beneath the feet, with early crucifixes rarely showing even a slope. Shopping for antique crucifixes will require some research on your part so that you find an authentic crucifix from the time period you’re looking for, and not a reproduction.

Photo Credits: Vintage Collective

Originally posted 2008-10-27 05:00:18. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

• Doll and Barbie Collectibles There is a great deal of variety out there when it comes to collecting dolls, such as Barbie collectibles for example. There are dolls that are designed to be toys, and here are dolls that are designed to be collectibles, and Barbie dolls are no exception to the rule because......
• Buy Collectibles from the Civil War If you are interested in learning what it takes to buy collectibles, one of the types of collectibles that you may consider purchasing is Civil War collectibles. There are plenty of places that you can turn to that will allow you to buy collectibles relating to the Civil war, and......
• Faberge Egg Collectables -> Collectibles -> Decorative Collectibles Almost everyone has heard some reference to a Faberge egg, though many people simply think it's some sort of fancy, jeweled egg, without realizing the history behind it or its true value. Carl Faberge designed the first of these eggs in 1885, for......
• Japanese Art Collectibles -> Cultures-Ethnicities -> Asian Japanese art is a type of art that has a very distinctive look. If a painting, a vase, a sculpture or some other type of art is Japanese, particularly if it’s antique art, it usually only takes a quick look for you to recognize the......
• Appreciating Video Game Collectibles Everyone was young once- And when you were young, you probably played video games. Throughout history, we have amassed quite a collection of video game collectibles. Video game collectibles are video games, video game consoles, video game accessories and video game memorabilia that are vintage or antique, or that are......

• French Antiques Antiquess -> Antiquities -> Neolithic, Paleolithic Although the first thing that springs to mind in many people when the term French antiques is mentioned is Louis XVI furniture, there are numerous antiquities from this region that are incredibly valuable. France was the site of some of the first Paleolithic peoples......
• How to Find the Best Antique Coins at Estate There are many different coins which are available for you to purchase so that you can add them to your collection. These coins can be found in a variety of different places. Many times it just takes some ingenuity to find the coins that you want to buy. One of......
• Metal Instruments 101 There are a range of different metal percussion instruments that can be found in the modern western orchestra, even though many of them have origins that are not only ancient in nature, but also global as well. The Anvil - The Anvil is a specific type of sound effect that......
• 3 Great Places You Would not Expect to Find Collectable Coins There are different reasons why people get involved in coin collecting. For many they enjoy the history of the coins that they collect. For others, they simply enjoy looking at the beautiful nature of the coins themselves. Others still enjoy the hunt. They like being able to find the different......
• Finding Antiques and Collectibles If you are interested in the art of antiquing, then you should know that there are antiques and collectibles that you can find in all shapes, all sizes and all kinds of locations. All of these antiques and collectibles have history, a past, a story to them. People can find......

• Mixed Materials Bells Decorative Collectibles Collectibles
• For Fat People Clothing Running Exercise & Fitness
• 1960s Vintage, Retro, Mid-Century Collectibles
• Mixed Materials Picture Frames Decorative Arts Antiques
• Contractor Guides Building Materials & Supplies Green Construction Store