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Up for auction or purchase is a fascinating Vintage & Antique Roman Catholic Estate Devotional Lot.
This grouping serves as an incredible historical time capsule, highlighted by an untouched late-19th-century German volume containing a remarkable cache of hidden holy cards.
The Centerpiece Book & Holy Card Cache:
The Volume: Flammen der Liebe zu Jesus und Maria! (Flames of Love for Jesus and Mary!). This is an antique German-language Catholic prayer book written by Father Franz Facher and published in Winterberg by J. Steinbrener. The title page bears an official ecclesiastical approval date from Budweis on June 4, 1895.
The Unopened Cache (At least 5 Cards): Resting exactly as they were discovered between the pages is a spectacular collection of at least 5 original antique holy cards. These delicate late-Victorian/Edwardian color lithographs have spent more than a century pressed perfectly flat, shielding them from sunlight fading, moisture, and edge wear.
The Featured Rarity: Headlining the inserts is a scarce devotional card featuring a genuine, historically preserved organic four-leaf clover/shamrock specimen. It remains safely housed inside an old, protective folded cellophane sleeve exactly as found.
To preserve the pristine estate provenance and avoid damaging the fragile, 130-year-old paper, these cards have not been removed or handled.
They are pictured precisely as they sit within the binding.
Additional Mid-Century Devotionals Included:The Catholic’s Guide: A compact "Manual of Devotions for the Use of Catholics," revised by a Jesuit Father and published by The Regina Press (New York). Printed in Belgium. Clean internal text block.
My Sunday Missal: The classic, iconic pocket mass guide by Father Stedman, featuring a faux-leather textured cover and red chalice motif. Displays heavy, honest wear from a lifetime of faithful church attendance.
Marian Children’s Mass Book: A beautifully illustrated mid-century introductory communion book authored by Sister Mary Theola, S.S.N.D.
Bonus Ephemera: Includes an original Apostleship of Prayer novena leaflet and standalone vintage holy cards.
Condition Report:The 1895 German Book: The interior text block and hidden cards are remarkably well-preserved with bright, vivid inks. However, the outer binding has suffered significant historical wear; the spine cover has split and the backstrip material is completely loose/detached from the text block.
The Mid-Century Missals: Range from Acceptable to Good condition. Expected shelf wear, frayed cloth edges, and soft corners from decades of handling, but bindings remain intact and highly readable.
Shipping & Handling:This delicate archive will be packed with the utmost care. The books will be wrapped in archival-safe materials and shipped inside a sturdy, crush-resistant cardboard box with professional padding to guarantee the fragile 1895 binding and its hidden paper contents arrive exactly as pictured.
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