Les Bijoux des Français

First Communion

French traditional jewellery - First holy communion

 

 

first holy communion

click on the photos to enlarge them in high resolution

 

first holy communion

When a child reached around twelve years old, feverish preparations seized the family as they prepared for the child's first holy communion. Special clothes were bought or hired for the church ceremony and a grand feast organised at the house.  It was a priviliged moment to reunite all the family and friends and the oldest Calvados or Kirsch brandy was brought up from the cellar.  The first holy communion has long been considered an important coming of age, and with the child's passage into the world of adults, jewels were often given to mark the event. The parents as well as the god-father and god-mother would offer gifts, generally a cross or medal, the latter with a symbol of a chalice or a child receiving his first communion.  A missel, a small book containing the texts and hymnes of the mass and with a carved ivory cover, was offered to the child in the richer families.  A set of rosary beads and sometimes a cross in ivory was also a popular gift.  In some families one would offer a truncated set of rosary beads for counting prayers, called a dizaine, which was worn as a bracelet.  A child might well receive his first watch on his first holy communion day and from about 1920 we start to see wristwatches being the most popular gift.

first holy communion

 

 

 

 

first communion ring, gold

first communion ring, gold

first communion ring, gold and pearls

 

 

bague dizaine de communion, or perles et email

bague dizaine de communion, or perles et email

bague dizaine de communion, or perles et email

dizaine first communion ring in gold, pearls and enamel.  The raised bumps are to help with counting prayers

 

 

first communion medal gold and pearls

first communion medal gold

first communion medal gold

150%

 

first communion medal gold, c1880

first communion medal silver

first communion medal gold and enamel, c1920

first communion medal gold, c1960

150%

 

antique first holy communion medal, silver

antique first holy communion medal, gold

antique first holy communion medal, silver

150%

 

 

first communion medal, gold  and"plique-à-jour" enamel

first communion medal gold, diamonds and pearls

first communion medal, gold  and"plique-à-jour" enamel

150%

 

first communion cross gold and pearls

first communion cross silver

first communion cross silver

first communion cross gold and pearls

 

 

 

first communion medal gold

first communion medal gold

first communion medal gold

first communion medal, gold, 150%

 

 

first communion medal gold

first communion medal gold

first communion medal, gold

first communion medals, gold, 150%

 

 

first communion medal, silver

first communion medal, gold engraved 1908

first communion medal, silver

150%

 

first communion medal, gold

first communion medal, gold

first communion medal, gold

first communion medals in gold  and "plique-à-jour" enamel, (150%)

 

 

first communion medal silver

first communion medal silver

first communion medal silver

first communion medals in silver (200%)

 

 

silver medal engraved with the dates of baptism (25 Decembre 1869),
first holy communion (4 May 1882) and confirmation (12 May 1882) named Henri Chantrain
click on the photos to enlarge them in high resolution

 

 

 

silver first holy communion medal dated 23 May 1880

 

 

 

 

first communion medal gold

first communion medal gold, art nouveau

first communion medal gold

150%

 

first communion medal, silver

first communion medal, silver

first communion medal, silver

first communion medals in silver (150%)

       

 

 

first communion medal, gold

first communion medal, gold

first communion medal gold

first communion medal, gold

first communion medal 1902

        150%

 

 

 medal for baptism, first communion and confirmation, bronze, engraved 1845, 1857 & 1858, designed and engraved by Roquelay Desaide
click on photo to enlarge
 

 

 bronze medal for baptism, first communion and confirmation engraved 1858, 1870 & 1870 respectivement. 
click on photo to enlarge
 

 

 

first communion rosary beads, silver

rosary beads, silver and agate

50%
 

 

dizaine prayer bracelet in silver and coral

 

 

Dizaine bracelet in silver and mother-of-pearl

 

 

First holy communion medal in gold, hand-engraved design

 

 

first communion medal, gold

first communion medal, gold 1908

150%

 

first communion medal gold

first communion medal gold

first communion medal gold

150%
 

prayer book with carved ivory cover

 

 

first communion medals, silver, c1900-1920 (150%)  (click on photo to see higher resolution)

 

 

girl's first holy communion watch in silver

 

 

first communion watch, gold, 1955

presentation box for first communion watch, 1955

 

 

boy's arm band for first holy communion, silk

 

 

first holy communion by Jules Breton (1827 - 1906)

 

 

  contents

    médaille de communion, bague de communion, montre de communion, chapelet, croix en ivoire, chapelet en ivoire, Missel en ivoire, bijoux en ivoire, cérémonie de première communion, bijoux régionaux, bijou régional, bijoux des régions de France, les bijoux traditionnels français, French regional jewellery, Lanté et Gatine, Estella Canziani, French folklore, French folk dress, costumes, first communion medal- Streeksieraden in Zeeland     

 

 

 

French traditional jewellery - first holy communion jewellery

 

New book - Traditional French Jewellery
 

 

Book - Traditional French Jewellery - order here direct from the author

 

 

 

Dear collectors, auctioneers, dealers and jewellery lovers,

You have visited the site www.bijouxregionaux.com which for since 2009 has listed all regional and traditional French jewellery, without advertising and without sales. By popular demand, this website is now finally available as a book, much more complete and with many new photos and texts that are not on the site. I traveled more than 4,500 km in 2020 to visit the various collectors and museums of France and to photograph, weigh, measure and examine their jewellery.

Large format of 23.5 x 30 cm, 304 pages, hardcover and fully illustrated with over 1300 jewels in color, this book is the first complete book on French regional jewellery and corrects the many errors and gaps observed in the other references and presents other regional jewels hitherto unknown to the public. You will find eight full pages on Breton pins and fibulae and many other jewels in museums and private collections that are not on this website. Over four months of research has gone into making the chapter on hallmarks the most reliable ever seen - clear illustrations of hallmarks have been made especially for this volume. And for the first time, collectors will have access to a complete list of all the assay office symbols, small signs withn the hallmarks that identify in which city the jewellery was hallmarked. The opening and closing dates since 1798 of the hallmark offices are also listed for the first time, allowing, with the office symbol, to better date your jewellery.

The print run of this book is very limited, which is why I recommend you order early.  You will love this book I have had nothing but compliments and many clients have ordered more to offer as gifts.

To order, you can send a wire transfer or WISE transfer to Michael Fieggen - FR76 4061 8803 9700 0403 3233 171 – BIC – BOUSFRPPXXX - address Mike Fieggen, 280 rue Saint Honoré, Paris, 75001 France

Bank or wire transfer by www.wise.com in Sterling – Account holder - Michael Fieggen
IBAN - GB68TSBS30916200184462    BIC / SWIFT - TSBSGB2AXXX

Sterling cheques and PayPal welcome to address demosthenesparis@gmail.com.

Any questions ?  Contact me at bijouregional@gmail.com or by telephone at + 33 1 4015 9000

Un exemplaire en français                         €75                                 frais d’envoi                 €5 La Poste France, Europe ou l'étranger

Un exemplaire en anglais                          £75 sterling                    frais d'envoi                 £5 sterling La Poste France, Europe ou l'étranger