A common artefact?

[Blackcountry pilgrim]

Hi all
I have just come across an antique token or medal relating to the Camino on Ebay uk listed as "St James 18th century silver devotional medal" and wondered if any on the forum could identify if these were commonly carried by pilgrim in the 1700's and if they were easily obtained in Spain
Any info would be appreciated (sorry not sure how I attach a link to the site!)

 

[C clearly]

not sure how I attach a link to the site!

The simplest (but inelegant) way is just to copy the URL of the site, and plop it into your reply here.

 

[Blackcountry pilgrim]

Saint James 18th century pilgrim's silver devotional medal Camino de Santiago | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Saint James 18th century pilgrim's silver devotional medal Camino de Santiago at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Bradypus]

I wouldn't be too quick to assume that any medallion of St James is necessarily a pilgrim token. James is the patron saint of Spain and many Spanish people would have had a connection to him other than by pilgrimage. Those named after the saint for a start or members of a religious confraternity. But it is also true that Santiago de Compostela had a flourishing silversmith trade and it would be surprising if articles like that were not made and sold to pilgrims.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

The figurine depicts St. James as Matamoros not St. James as Peregrino.

 

[Bradypus]

The figurine depicts St. James as Matamoros not St. James as Peregrino.

For much of the last few centuries Matamoros was the predominant image of the Apostle in Spanish churches. The choice of that particular image over that of Santiago Peregrino does not in itself disqualify the medallion from being a pilgrim token. It is only in quite recent times that distaste for the Matamoros image has led to its removal from public view in many churches.

 

[trecile]

The simplest (but inelegant) way is just to copy the URL of the site, and plop it into your reply here.

Not always inelegant as many links convert to a preview.

 

[MinaKamina]

In the 18th century, the pilgrimage towards SdC was in crisis, the numbers of pilgrims were declining for various reasons (war, reformation, closed borders).
If this medal is what it claims to be, the better guess is that it belonged to someone who wasn't a pilgrim.
Note that the seller in 1985 does not mention the pigrimage at all, only 'Santiago de Compostela, patrón de España'

I wonder why the current seller did not clean it before putting it up for sale. The Saint is on horseback, trampling a fallen Moor, one would like to see the grisly details before deciding to wear it. (I know I would)

 

[Kathar1na]

I don’t have any real knowledge about this. A bit of googling shows that such medals or medallions were indeed common artefacts in the 18th century and still are today. The small ring does not mean that it was actually worn by a person. They are souvenirs or gifts and not typical for pilgrims, anyone could own such an item.

These medals or medallions are not the same as the pilgrim badges of the Middle Ages although there is some similarity. Medieval pilgrim badges were purchased by pilgrims at the pilgrimage site and it is not unusual to see paintings where they are sown to a pilgrim’s hat. There a numerous threads about pilgrim badges on the forum.

Does it say on the piece of paper that the item was sold or evaluated at a price of 5000 pesetas in 1985?

Below are links to similar items - older and newer. There are many more websites with images of this kind of religious medals and coins. I think that one could find prettier items than the one in post #3. This motif (saint on horse with dead person underneath horse) is out of fashion but was en vogue in the 17th and 18th century in particular - a lot more popular in art during those two centuries than in the Middle Ages.

Excelente Medallón Medalla Antigua Santiago Apóstol. 6,5 cm - Foto 1 | Medallas, Joyería tradicional, Medallones

07-ene-2018 - Orientaprecios de Medallas Religiosas Antiguas. Vendido en Venta Directa: Excelente medallón medalla antigua santiago apóstol. 6,5 cm. Lote 108376247

www.pinterest.es

Religious Medals And Coins | El Coleccionista Ecléctico

Antique religious medals and coins, old catholic medals

www.elcoleccionistaeclectico.com