German Crucifix and web site.

[LaurieBeth]

I acquired this cross while cleaning out a home from an estate.  I found some information on a museum-crucifix web site.  I have no idea what to do with it now.  I do know that it is a casket cross.  I would like to know the value and possibly how old it is.  Could someone give me some idea where to find more information. I would appreciate any information you have to offer.
Thanks.

http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss299/LaurieBetha/IMG_7002.jpg

http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss299/LaurieBetha/IMG_7001.jpg

http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss299/LaurieBetha/IMG_7003.jpg

http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss299/LaurieBetha/IMG_7000.jpg

Thank You for all your comments about this cross.  Please check out this site I found and look at pages 4 through 7. This is the cross that I have. It's very interesting.         http://www.rosaryworkshop.com/MUSEUM-CRUCIFIXES-MB-European.htm

[D&b antiques]

Laurie if we were talking' gold. a couple of hundred dollars. brass bronze etc $25.00 Dollars or so. the skull & cross bones represents Gol Gotha the place of the skull. the area jesus was crucifyed.

[talesofthesevenseas]

I think what you have is mourning jewelry, rather than a casket cross, which would be placed on the casket. In the 18th and 19th centuries, people had a much different perspective on death than we do today. Death played a larger role in daily life than it does for us. Every bite of meat had to be raised and slaughtered. Children died frequently and the largest killer of women was fire due to cooking accidents, which happened even more often than death from childbirth.

When there was a funeral, people were given something to take home with them. A gift so that they would remember the deceased and have something of them to keep. Women usually got jewelry, like mourning rings or brooches. Men very often got gloves.

In modern times people regard this tradition as morbid, and it has fallen out of favor with people. There are some excellent sites on Victorian funeral customs that will help provide some perspective on this. Here are just a couple:

http://www.deathcare.com/2009/mourning-jewelry-customs.html
http://19thcenturyartofmourning.com/
http://friendsofoakgrovecemetery.org/victorian-funeral-customs-fears-and-superstitions/

[ironlord1963]

With the ring on it for a chain, I would agree with tales.   My question is it the skull and bones that make one think it is a Mourning piece?

[D&b antiques]

Black is more commonly, associated with mourning, jewelry. this cross has a black center. typically this is a catholic cross. the skull & cross bones represent Gol Gotha.meaning The place of the skull. a rock formation that resembles a skull. the place supposedly, jesus was crucified.

[Dean Perdue]

Great informative thread. I never even knew mourning jewelry existed.

[talesofthesevenseas]

There are 18th century pieces of mourning jewelry featuring some mega-morbid (by today's standards) symbols, such as coffins, skull and crossbones and even full skeletons, that were handed out as mourning jewelry. Not too long ago there was a collection of mourning rings featured on Antiques Roadshow that included some 18th century examples that were particularly interesting. Lemme see if they are available on their Web site. Just a sec...

UPDATE:
OK here's a link to photos and the transcript of the bit on mourning rings collection on Roadshow. There is some very good information is in the transcript, and a good discussion of how people thought about death in those days:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/archive/200804A45.html