Preliminary identification
Photo reference
5 uploaded photos
Overview
A striking brass devotional medal featuring St. Mary Magdalene in a classic penitent pose, contemplating a skull. The reverse depicts the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary beneath a royal crown, a powerful combination of 'Memento Mori' and Marian devotion.
Story
In the 1800s, French pilgrims flocked to the cave of Sainte-Baume, where tradition says Mary Magdalene spent 30 years in solitude. This medal captures her 'Memento Mori'—a reminder of mortality—symbolized by the skull she holds.
Maker / Origin
While unsigned, this piece is a product of the prolific French religious medal tradition, likely from a workshop in Lyon or Paris. These engravers were masters of 'bas-relief,' shrinking grand cathedral-style iconography into tiny, wearable tokens of faith for the masses.
Condition & Value
The medal shows a beautiful aged patina with minor surface wear consistent with being handled or worn on a rosary. The bail is intact and strong. Excellent preservation of the fine details in the saint's face and the text. Condition is excellent and supports the higher end of the value range.
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.