The following is from a column in which readers ask an expert about an object's value. This week: rosaries, including one made of wood from the Holy Land. If you're like me (oh, I pity you, I really do!), you've seen a gazillion or two hand-carved rosaries from the Holy Land, so you have a fair idea that Jesus probably wouldn't pay a hundred bucks for one, even if it did remind him of home. Still, if you have a rosary signed by Cher . . .
If the beads are made of olive wood, that fits the Middle East angle. The crucifix is mother-of-pearl. Greatest value lies in the Palestine tag. If the beads are olive, that is another selling point. At any rate, the going rate for most vintage rosaries is under $100. Check eBay for comparable examples.
Intricately formed, the German devotional is an item of piety. It does not appear to be mass produced, but is probably from an artisan specializing in religious artifacts. Value is hard to ascribe, as it is unique. In recent auction history, crucifixes and devotional items belonging to Cher were the only like items to bring big money. Some, signed by the entertainer, sold for more than $2,000.
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