 n March of 2010 an auction of rare Texana was
held in Dallas, Texas. One of the lots was an
antique cross of the type used by Spanish priests
who came to evangelize Texas' First People. The cross
was made of iron and measured approximately 12 X 7
inches. There is no way to date the cross exactly but it
is estimated to date to the late 18th century.
There were certainly more beautiful crosses made in this time period, but this simple piece of metal seemed to exert an almost magical appeal. There were so many
questions. Where had it been for the last two hundred
years? How do you explain the unusual design?
No one was very impressed with the price brought
by the cross. There was no ovation for the high bidder
and no one except the buyer had any idea what this
purchase would lead to. The cross was brought to the
buyer's jewelry design studio in Fort Worth, Texas.
Over the next few days the company's designers
examined the cross and debated what should be done
with it. Ultimately, everyone seemed to come to the same
conclusion. The cross called out to be duplicated in a
smaller scale, suitable for a pendant for a woman's
necklace. Once the first copy was made, it was obvious
that a smaller version was needed for men. We all had
ideas but we wanted to create something special and, if
possible, to create unique pieces of fine jewelry with a
Texas connection. When someone suggested that we
actually visit the restored Spanish missions in Texas and
let the creative genius of the early Spanish artisans guide
us, we knew we were on the right track.
There are six restored missions on the San Antonio
River, five in San Antonio and one in Goliad, Texas. We
had to see them all. The trips to San Antonio and Goliad
confirmed our dream. Everywhere we turned, we found
crosses or small architectural embellishments that
inspired us to create a whole line of jewelry.
The original cross carried
across the Rio Grande two hundred years ago has led to
the formation of Mission Jewelry, a new company committed to developing a complete line of religious jewelry unique to Texas.
|
