Ostensories

The gilt-silver and crystal ostensory is said to have been donated by the Spanish Knight Commander De Cardona of the Langue of Aragon in 1690 and is possibly of Milanese or of north Italian extraction. The assay mark belongs to the reign of Grand Master Adrien de Wignacourt (1690-1697).

The ostensory is marked by two marks which include a small daisy and the letters BR-VN, possibly referring to Giacchino Lebrun.

A third mark is associated with Dionisio Famucelli who was active in Malta from 1665 to 1683, indicating a date for the shaft and base of the monstrance to those years.

The ostensory was restored in 1999 by the restorer Sante Guido Restauro Opere d’Arte.

The unique design of this monstrance has been attributed to the Sicilian school in Trapani which produced a rich number of artefacts in the seventeenth century.

The school is particularly known for the use of precious red coral to adorn sacred objets d’art used for liturgical functions. The monstrance was donated by Comm. Cesare Ferro of Tarento in 1649.

It was restored in 2000 by the restorer Sante Guido Restauro Opere d’ Arte.