Preliminary identification
Photo reference
4 uploaded photos
Overview
A heavy, cast bronze religious medal featuring a kneeling St. Mary Magdalene with a crucifix and skull on the obverse, and St. Anne teaching the young Virgin Mary on the reverse. The piece exhibits a deep, authentic chocolate-brown patina with traces of burial or long-term environmental exposure.
Story
During the 1700s, these medals were more than jewelry; they were spiritual armor for pilgrims. One side honors the penitent Magdalene, while the other shows St. Anne teaching Mary to read—a rare nod to female literacy in the 18th century.
Maker / Origin
While unsigned, this medal follows the tradition of French regional foundries that produced 'sacramentals' for local parishes and pilgrimage sites. The crude but expressive casting suggests it was made for the common faithful rather than the nobility.
Condition & Value
The medal shows significant environmental patina and surface encrustation, likely from being buried or stored in a damp environment. The suspension loop is intact, which is a plus, though the high points of the figures are heavily worn. This 'relic' condition is generally accepted by collectors of early devotional items.
Full Research
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
Build on this identification
Layer in sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance.
Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.