Tolerance

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Tolerance

This is the last of the bracelets in this “crop”. I love making these bracelets but listing them is a nightmare. Researching all the different amulets, medals, charms, talismans and symbols often takes more time than making them. The most common question I get asked when people see my bracelets is “Where do you find it all?”. The simple answer is “everywhere”. The not so simple answer is spending many, many hours (usually in the middle of the night to early morning) scanning auctions, vintage lots, vintage parts websites, offline stores and friends donating their costume jewellery. It's taken me over 8 years to find my regular suppliers and treasured list of sites and stores. It's what makes my designs interesting and unique.

Features:
  • Vintage solid copper medal with raised relief of the Crescent Moon, Scimitar Sword and Egyptian Pharaoh (antiqued – one sided – blank on the reverse) (The sword is said to be the emblem of military honor and should incite the bearer to a just and generous pursuit of honor and virtue. It is symbolic of liberty and strength. In the Middle Ages, the sword was often used as a symbol of the word of God and the Crescent Moon is associated with Islam. The Five Pointed Star and Crescent Moon appearing on the flag of many Islamic nations. Fraternal groups like the Shriners and Freemasons also use these symbols)

  • Antique bronze tone Hamsa/Hand of Fatima with crystal jewel (one sided – blank on the reverse)(Hamsa is a symbol used in amulets, charms and jewelry to protect against the "evil eye." An alternative Islamic name for this charm is the Hand of Fatima or Eye of Fatima, in reference to Fatima Zahra, the daughter of Muhammad. An alternative Jewish name is the Hand of Miriam, in reference to Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron. It is a kind of "protecting hand" or "hand of God". Some associate the significance of the five fingers to the five books of the Torah for Jews, the Five Pillars of Islam for Sunnis, or the five People of the Cloak for Shi'ites. This symbolism may have evolved at a later stage, in view of the fact that archaeological evidence suggests the hamsa predates both religions. It is thought by some to have originated with the Phoenicians to honor Tanit who was a patron of Carthage. In recent years some activists for Middle East peace have chosen to wear the hamsa as a symbol of the similarities of origins and tradition between the Islamic and Jewish faiths. The fingers can point up or down.)

  • Gold tone Medal of St Benedict also known the Exocist Medal (two sided – different design on both sides)(On the face of the medal is the image of Saint Benedict. In his right hand he holds the cross, the Christian's symbol of salvation. In St. Benedict's left hand is his Rule for Monasteries that could well be summed up in the words of "walk in God's way. On a pedestal to the right of St. Benedict is the poisoned cup, shattered when he made the sign of the cross over it. On a pedestal to the left is a raven about to carry away a loaf of poisoned bread that a jealous enemy had sent to St. Benedict. On the back of the medal, the cross is dominant. On the arms of the cross are the initial letters of a rhythmic Latin prayer: Crux sacra sit mihi lux. Nunquam draco sit mihi dux. May the holy cross be my light. May the dragon never be my guide. Above the cross is the word pax (peace), that has been a Benedictine motto for centuries. Around the margin of the back of the medal, the letters V R S N S M V - S M Q L I V B are the initial letters of a Latin prayer of exorcism against Satan: Vade retro Satana. Nunquam suade mihi vana. Sunt mala quae libas. Ipse venena bibas. Begone Satan. Never tempt me with your vanities. What you offer me is evil. Drink the poison yourself.)

  • Vintage brass stamped Fleur De Lis (antiqued – one sided – hollow on the reverse) (Often associated with European Royalty the Fleur De Lis as a religious symbol may represent the Trinity, or be an iconographic attribute of the archangel Gabriel, notably in representations of the Annunciation. In such contexts, the fleur-de-lis is associated with the Virgin Mary. The symbol is also often used on a compass rose to mark the north direction, a tradition started by Flavio Gioja, a Neapolitan mariner of the fourteenth century. The use for ornamental or symbolic purposes of the stylised flower usually called fleur de lis is common to all eras and all civilizations. It is an essentially graphic theme found on Mesopotamian cylinders, Egyptian bas-reliefs, Mycenean pottery, Sassanid textiles, Gaulish and Mameluk coins, Indonesian clothes, Japanese emblems, and Dogon totems. The scouting movement also uses the symbol.)

  • Half of a vintage brass stamped Mizpah medal (one sided – blank on the reverse) (Mizpah is an emotional bond between people who are separated (either physically or by death). Mizpah jewelry is worn to signify this bond, and the word "mizpah" can often be found on headstones in cemeteries and on other memorials. From Genesis 31:49 of the Bible "And Mizpah; for he said, The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.")

  • Gold tone round scalloped edged medal with Crucifix and radiating motif(one sided – blank on the reverse) (Christian)

  • Large intricate and detailed gold tone cast pendant of the Hindu God Uma (one sided – blank on the reverse) (Uma is the Hindu goddess of Power, Sati as well as her incarnation Parvati after the former's death, both wives of god Shiva.)

  • Bright gold tone Chinese Eternal Knot (two sided – design on both sides) (The endless knot or eternal knotis a symbolic knot found in Tibet and Mongolia. The motif is used in Tibetan Buddhism, and may also be found in Chinese art as one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols. The endless knot has been described as "an ancient symbol representing the interweaving of the Spiritual Path, the flowing of Time and Movement within That Which is Eternal. All existence, it says, is bound by time and change, yet ultimately rests serenely within the Divine and the Eternal.")

  • Vintage black glass Scarab Beetle on antiqued brass rope edged setting (one sided – blank on the reverse)(The Scarab artifacts of Ancient Egypt, based on dung beetle, was the most popular amulet of ancient Egypt. In the ancient Egyptian mythos, the sun (Ra) rolls across the sky each day and transforms bodies and souls. The dung beetle's rolling of dung into a ball for the purposes of laying eggs (which would be later transformed into larva) was seen as an earthly symbol of this heavenly cycle. This came to be iconographic, and ideological symbols were incorporated into Ancient Egyptian society.)

  • Double solid brass coils (two sided – detail on both sides) (It has been found engraved on an amulet which is 24,000 years old, and thus must have been engraved by Cro-Magnons. During the Bronze Age was an often used graphic structure for decorations of artefacts of all types. In ancient Greece it was common on vases and amphoras, and often signified water or the sea. An older variation on the same theme is found on rock engravings from the Bronze Age in Scania, Sweden. The spiral image is very strong in Ancient Celtic symbology and design and Pagan motifs. It is used as a sign of eternity for the Karen Hill Tribe in Thailand and also used in Wicca and Paganism)

  • Solid brass vintage Chai symbol (original vintage patina) (Chai is a symbol and word that figures prominently in Jewish culture and consists of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet Het and Yod. In the Hebrew language, the word chai spelled by two letters means "living," is related to the term for "life," chaim, and also appears in the slogan "`am yisrael chai!" - The nation of Israel lives - referring to all Jews)

  • Rectangular vintage brass stamped medal with the Chi Ro symbol (one sided – blank on the reverse) (The Chi Rho is one of the earliest christograms used by Christians. It is formed by superimposing the first two letters in the Greek spelling of the word Christ, chi = ch and rho = r, in such a way to produce the monogram. The Chi-Rho symbol was also used by pagan Greek scribes to mark, in the margin, a particularly valuable or relevant passage; the combined letters Chi and Rho standing for chreston, meaning "good.")

  • Vintage brass Crucifix with etched rose and flourish motif (one sided – blank on the reverse) (Christian, Rosicrucians)

  • Gold tone palm reading hand model with Life, Heart and Head lines numbered (three dimensional) (Chiromancy or cheiromancy is the art of characterization and foretelling the future through the study of the palm, also known as palmistry, palm-reading, chirology or hand analysis. The practice is found all over the world, with numerous cultural variations. Those who practice chiromancy are generally called palmists, palm readers, hand readers, hand analysts, or chirologists.)

  • Deep blue (virtually black) vintage glass square with embossed gold Freemasons symbol (one sided – blank on the reverse) (Two of the principal symbolic tools always found in a Lodge are the square and compasses. Some Lodges and rituals explain these tools as lessons in conduct: for example, that Masons should "square their actions by the square of virtue" and to learn to "circumscribe their desires and keep their passions within due bounds toward all mankind". The G stands for Geometry, the science which the ancients believed most revealed the glory of God and His works in the heavens, and it also stands for God, Who must be at the center of all our thoughts and of all our efforts.)

  • Antiqued gold plate Lotus flower stamped charm (one sided – indented design on reverse) (From ancient times the lotus has been a divine symbol in Asian traditions as a symbol of purity.Hindus revere it with the gods Vishnu, Brahma, and the goddesses Lakshmi and Sarasvati. Often used as an example of divine beauty, Vishnu is often described as the 'Lotus-Eyed One'. Its unfolding petals suggest the expansion of the soul. The growth of its pure beauty from the mud of its origin holds a benign spiritual promise. Particularly Brahma and Lakshmi, the divinities of potency and wealth, have the lotus symbol associated with them. In Hindu iconography, deities often are depicted with lotus flowers as their seats. The lotus plant is cited extensively within Puranic and Vedic literature This has also taken root in Chinese Confucian cultures. Borrowing from Hinduism, in Buddhist symbolism the lotus again represents purity of the body, speech, and mind as if floating above the muddy waters of attachment and desire. It is also to be noted that most Buddhist, Chinese, Hindu, Japanese, amongst other Asian deities are often are depicted as seated on a lotus flower. According to legend, Gautama Buddha was born with the ability to walk and everywhere he stepped, lotus flowers bloomed. The Bahα'ν has also adopted this symbolism. It also appeared in Ancient Egyptian religions)

  • Gold tone Pentagram / Pentacle (one sided – blank on the reverse) (Pentagrams were used symbolically in ancient Greece and Babylonia, and are used today as a symbol of faith by many Wiccans. The pentagram has magical associations, and many people who practice Neopagan faiths wear jewelry incorporating the symbol. Christians once more commonly used the pentagram to represent the five wounds of Jesus and it also has associations within Freemasonry. It is also considered a "protection" symbol and is associated with the worship of the Goddess of Venus)

  • Primitive cast foot milagro (one sided – blank on the reverse) (Milagros (also known as an ex-voto or dijes) are religious folk charms that are traditionally used for healing purposes and as votive offerings. They are frequently attached onto altars, shrines, and sacred objects found in places of worship. Milagro symbolism is not universal; a milagro of a body part, such as a leg, might be used as part of a prayer or vow for the improvement of a leg; or it might refer to a concept such as travel. Similarly, a heart might represent ideas as diverse as a heart condition, a romance, or any number of other interpretations. Milagros are also carried for protection and good luck.)

  • Black and gold glass Czech button with the Tree of Life mounted on brass circular finding (one sided – brass circular cut out on the reverse) Black Czech glass cabachon with gold pressed “Tree of Life” motif on antique brass setting (one sided – blank on reverse) (The concept of a many-branched tree illustrating the idea that all life on earth is related has been used in science, religion, philosophy, mythology and other areas. A tree of life is variously, a) a mystical concept alluding to the interconnectedness of all life on our planet, b) a metaphor for common descent in the evolutionary sense, and c) a motif in various world theologies, mythologies and philosophies. Various trees of life are recounted in folklore, culture and fiction, often relating to immortality or fertility. They had their origin in religious symbolism. Assyrian, Ancient Armenian, Indian, Ancient Egyptian, Germanic Paganism, Jewish, Christian, Book of Mormon, Mesoamerican, Shinto, Arabian, Chinese Mythology)

  • Black glass cabachon with reverse cameo of Jesus and the Sacred Heart mounted on brass setting (one sided – blank on the reverse) (The Sacred Heart is a religious devotion to Jesus's physical heart as the representation of the divine love for humanity. This devotion is predominantly used in the Roman Catholic Church, and also in strains of the Anglican Church and some Lutheran Churches. It stresses the central Christian concept of loving and adoring Jesus. The origin of this devotion in its modern form is derived from a French Roman Catholic nun, Marguerite Marie Alacoque, who said she learned the devotion from Jesus in visions. Predecessors to the modern devotion existed to some extent in the Middle Ages in various mystical sects.)

  • Tiny Czech black glass triangular bead with gold tone “All Seeing Eye” motif on both sides and brass bead cap (The Eye of Providence, or the all-seeing eye, is a symbol showing an eye surrounded by rays of light or a glory and usually enclosed by a triangle. It is sometimes interpreted as representing the eye of God keeping watch on humankind (see Divine Providence). Imagery of an all-seeing eye can be traced back to Egyptian mythology and the Eye of Horus. It also appears in Buddhism, where Buddha is also regularly referred to as the "Eye of the World" throughout Buddhist scriptures (e.g. Mahaparinibbana Sutta) and is represented as a trinity in the shape of a triangle known as the Tiratna, or Triple Gem. In Medieval and Renaissance European iconography, the Eye (often with the addition of an enclosing triangle) was an explicit image of the Christian Trinity. It can be found on US currency and is associated with the Freemasons)

  • Solid brass three dimensional cast of Buddha sitting on a plinth (three dimensional) (By far the most common sitting posture of Buddha images in Thailand is the 'half-lotus' or 'hero' posture. The right leg is folded over the left leg. The soles of both feet are upward. This is most correctly called the half-lotus posture. Other names used for this posture are "hero posture" or virasana)

  • Antique bronze tone round sigil and alchemy symbols (one sided – blank on the reverse) (A sigil is a symbol created for a specific magical purpose. A sigil is usually made up of a complex combination of several specific symbols or geometric figures each with a specific meaning or intent. Sigil magic is a common form of magical work among practitioners; symbols and signs have always been a tool of magicians and alchemists.)

  • Solid brass sign for writing and/or knowledge (Jewish, Cabala alternately Kabbalah or Qabalah may refer to one of several systems of Mysticism:Kabbalah, the religious mystical system of Judaism. Practical Kabbalah, an agglomeration of all the magical practices that developed in Judaism from the Talmudic period down through the Middle Ages. Christian Kabbalah, the Christian application of Jewish Kabbalistic methods. Hermetic Qabalah, a Western esoteric and mystical tradition drawing on Jewish Kabbalah and other sources)

  • Vintage copper medal with raised relief St Joseph carrying baby Jesus across the river(antiqued - one sided - blank on the reverse) (Catholic medal – Saint Joseph is the patron Saint of families, fathers, expectant mothers (pregnant women), travellers, immigrants, house sellers and buyers, craftsmen, engineers and working people in general)

  • Brass stamped vintage medal with raised praying hands relief (one sided – blank on the reverse) (Although hands held together like these would be associated with Christianity, many other religions use the same method.)

  • Antique copper over brass stamped Star of David with etched pattern (one sided – blank on the reverse) (When upright and downward triangles are put together, they form the Star of David and symbolize balance and knowledge. Having the symbol in your life can be used to denote a connection with, or interest in, spirit and the spiritual realm)

  • Three dimensional hollow brass stamped hand (three dimensional) (The sign of the horns (and other satanic or demonic interpretations), mano cornuta, sign language for "love" and many, many more. In some cultures when confronted with unfortunate events, or just when these are mentioned or suggested, a person wanting to avoid that fate could resort to the sign of the horns to ward off bad luck. It is the equivalent of knocking on wood.)

  • Primitive Sun motif on gold tone disk (one sided – blank on reverse) (two sided design) (The Sun has been revered since pre-history. From the Aztecs and Egyptians to American Indians and the Vikings, without the Sun we wouldn't exist so that's a pretty good reason for worshipping it)

  • Czech pressed black glass Feng Shui coin with gold characters (design on both sides) (Feng Shui coins are used in general for attracting wealth and prosperity depending on which school of feng shui you follow. The coin itself has a square in the middle and 4 different Chinese symbols around it. The square represents the energy of the earth while the roundness of the coin represents the energy of heaven. These coins were originally used in the T’ai Kung in the 11 century as a form of currency but then evolved over the years as a form of luck and wealth. For the most part these coins are considered to be powerful symbols of wealth and prosperity, but they can be used to fight off negative energy, which introduces diseases, physical harm and bad luck. Some practitioners of feng shui hang them from their front door in certain positions to block the negative chi from entering their household and affecting their lives. Coins can be hung around places of business, like near a cash register, or around bank tellers to help in creating wealth for the people around or near them.)

  • Ancient Islamic design on heavy gold tone disk (slightly dapped – one sided – blank on the reverse)

  • Brass stamped vintage Crucifix with etched wave design (one sided – blank on the reverse) (Christian)

  • Vintage antique gold tone Aztec design amulet (one sided – hollow and blank on the reverse)

  • Vintage stamped brass medal with Jesus and the Sacred Heart and Mary and baby JC on the reverse (two sided – different design on both sides)

  • Other half of the vintage Mizpah medal (one sided – blank on the reverse)(see information above)

  • Small Pyramid stamped antique bronze tone charm with brick texture (one sided - blank on the reverse) (Most people associate the pyramid with Ancient Egyptians. But pyramids, in different forms, are found around the world)

  • Matt gold tone disk with primitive Sun design (one sided – blank on the reverse)

  • Vintage copper tone Buddhist medal with raised relief of famous Thai Monk and Thai characters and symbols on the reverse (Buddhism)

  • Antique brass tone heavy metal bead with semi-circle and bump motifs (extender links weight and charm)

SOLD