Liturgical Bookmark For A Large Christian Book

Burgundy silk and gold metallic embroidery (thread and purl). Dimensions: Total length 71 cm – Width 5 cm – Fringes approximately 5 cm. A rare and elegant liturgical bookmark intended for large Christian works such as altar missals, lectern Bibles, or choir books. This piece is made of deep burgundy silk, richly adorned with gold metallic embroidery executed in purl and thread. The central design features a cross inscribed within an ornamental cartouche, surrounded by stylized, neo-Baroque-inspired scrolls, typical of the 19th-century liturgical renewal. The end is embellished with beautiful trimmings with long metallic fringes, adding elegance and movement to the whole. These ribbons were used to mark passages in large volumes used for the liturgy: missals, breviaries, or antiphonaries. The intentionally generous length allowed the fringes to extend beyond the book, facilitating handling and adding a decorative touch. The quality of the embroidery, the fineness of the silk, and the richness of the trimmings suggest production from a workshop specializing in religious ornaments, most likely French, in the second half of the 19th century. It is in excellent condition. A decorative and historical piece that immediately evokes the atmosphere of grand religious libraries and ancient liturgical books.