Thecas & Ecclesiastical Antiques

A theca is the small sealed vessel — usually of brass, gilt metal, or silver, glazed at the front — that holds a relic within a reliquary. The pieces in this collection are antique thecae and reliquaries of the 18th and 19th centuries, most holding second-class relics and closed at the reverse with an episcopal wax seal over silk cords.

Where a theca still carries its original seal, its accompanying authentica, or a legible cedula naming the saint, we say so and describe exactly what can be read. Where a seal is broken, a thread is lost, or an attribution rests on the object itself rather than a document, we say that too. We state what is known, document what accompanies each piece, and never overstate what cannot be proven.