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Bottle 812 - Jesus with Halo
Date Added: 11 June 2013

This bottle was made by an anonymous artist who made at least three other nearly identical bottles. The bottle contains a highly detailed and well carved figure of Jesus hanging on an ornate cross. Jesus' body is painted in silver, and his facial hair and loin cloth pained in gold. His face and body are nicely carved with a great deal of detail. Around the head of Jesus is a thin wooden halo which is a distinct feature used by this artist in all his crucifixion scenes. The cross is painted gold and there are ornately carved wooden additions, painted in silver, added to the top and bottom of the crosspiece of the cross. On both sides of the upright of the cross are wooden scrolls painted in silver. The base is painted gold, and on each side of the base are carved pedestals paint silver. Each pedestal has a shaved carved urn painted in gold. On the back of the cross are two long spears painted in silver and affixed to the crosspiece of the cross. There is a silver ladder with notches and three rungs. On top of the cross is a plaque painted in silver with "IHS" caved on it and with the letters painted in gold. The bottle is sealed with a gold painted wooden stopper which holds the cross in place. This bottle is very rare and unusual because it is the only known bottle by this artist that uses paint. "IHS" is symbol used by the Roman Catholic Church with many traditions behind it; it is also the first three letters of Jesus' name in Greek. The letters also stand for the phrase "Jesus, Savior of Man" in Greek. Today, the letters most commonly represent the Communion wafer, the Body of Christ. Could this artist have been a Catholic? Eight bottles are known that have been made by this artist but this is the only one that is painted in colors.
Type: Jesus on the Cross   Maker's Name:
Category: Religious   Made Where: United States
Bottle Size: 11" x 3 1/2"   Year Made: 1890
Bottle Type: Unidentified two-mold  


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