Rare 17th Cent. Baleen Double Side Reliquary 12 Relics: St Paul Ap, St Lucy + 10

Description:
Late XVII Century double side reliquary covered by its original glass and encased in an extremely rare baleen theca with the 12 Holy Relics of:
 
Saint Amanti
Saint Paul Apostle
Saint Germani
Saint Evaristus Pope
Saint Corneli
Saint Ilegible
Agnus Dei
Saint Romani Martyr
Saint Onesimus Martyr
Saint Lucy
Saint Eugene Martyr
Saint Eugene
 
 
Description:
Rare baleen plate* ("whalebone") Reliquary with the Holy Relics of many important Saints surrounded by paperolles and silver bullion thread, resting on golden silk and presented as medallions. Which are placed in an carved baleen theca and protected by its original glass.
*Baleen plate: 
Baleen is a filter-feeding system inside the mouths of baleen whales. To use baleen, the whale first opens its mouth underwater to take in water. The whale then pushes the water out, and animals such as krill are filtered by the baleen and remain as a food source for the whale. Baleen is similar to bristles and consists of keratin, the same substance found in human fingernails, skin and hair.
People formerly used baleen (usually referred to as "whalebone") for making numerous items where flexibility and strength were required, including baskets, backscratchers, collar stiffeners, buggy whips, parasol ribs, switches, crinoline petticoats, farthingales, busks, and corset stays. It was commonly used to crease paper; its flexibility kept it from damaging the paper. It was also occasionally used in cable-backed bows. Synthetic materials are now usually used for similar purposes, especially plastic and fiberglass. Baleen was also used by Dutch cabinetmakers for the production of pressed reliefs.

 
 
Condition
Outstanding condition for its age, no significant damage, all Saints legible and all Holy Relics present.

 
Provenance
Italian private collection
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Payments can be made using PayPal, Credit Card Bank transfer or Cash On Collection
-We ship this item in a professionally packed manner and we provide tracking number.
-Any custom duties requested by the buyer´s country is to be paid by the buyer.
-If you have any special delivery or shipping requirements, we are happy to help.
Please note that we only sell the containers of our relics, the Holy Relics are given free in accordance with canon law.
At Soul Antiques & Sacred Art we take pride in our work by making detailed and accurate descriptions of every item. Sold "As is"