Antique Catholic Devotional Reliquary Badge – Embroidered Textile Medal with Sacred Image

A rare and unusual antique Catholic devotional object featuring a beautifully hand-finished cream textile shield-shaped mount with an embroidered religious design.

At the centre is a protected devotional image depicting a religious sister or saint, preserved beneath a transparent covering. A small sacred element is also visible within the central compartment, adding to the character of this unusual devotional piece.

The textile mount is decorated with delicate gold-tone embroidery, fine stitching and small metallic decorative elements. The reverse is finished in plain cream fabric and retains an original metal fastening element.

The construction and aged materials give this piece the appearance of a private devotional reliquary or religious badge, intended to preserve and display a sacred image or devotional material.

The exact identity of the depicted religious figure, date and original provenance are not documented and are therefore left open for further research.

An especially interesting piece for collectors of antique Catholic devotional objects, religious textiles, relic-related artifacts and ecclesiastical ephemera.

Details

• Type: Antique Catholic devotional / reliquary-style badge
• Form: Shield-shaped textile mount
• Central element: Protected religious image
• Depiction: Religious sister / saint — identity not confirmed
• Decoration: Hand-embroidered gold-tone motifs
• Mount: Cream / ivory textile
• Backing: Cream textile with original metal fastening element
• Approx. size: 6.5 × 5 cm
• Era: Antique / vintage; exact date unknown
• Condition: Aged condition with visible wear, discoloration and signs of age
• Relic status: Contains a small preserved devotional element visible beneath the covering; exact nature has not been independently authenticated
• Hallmark: None visible
• Provenance: Unknown