Vintage Soviet protective Orthodox 875 silver cross #109

Vintage Soviet protective Orthodox 875 silver cross

About this piece

This small Orthodox crucifix pendant is cast from Soviet 875 silver — a standard alloy used throughout the USSR for jewellery and religious items. The cross features a distinctly Russian Orthodox form: a broader upper crosspiece with rounded lobes at each end, a longer vertical stem, and a small angled footrest at the base. The corpus is rendered in fine detail, visible even at this modest scale. A simple loop at the crown allows it to hang from a chain or cord.

The piece shows genuine age and use — the silver bears a natural patina that speaks to decades of wear, while the casting remains crisp and well-defined. Orthodox crosses of this type were worn as protective talismans throughout the Soviet period, often passed within families or kept close to the body. Small and portable, it would sit comfortably beneath clothing or worn openly on a delicate chain. To maintain the patina and silver, we recommend gentle handling and occasional soft cloth polishing only.