This type of Rosary dates back to a time in Ireland when to be seen with a rosary was an offense punishable by death. The Irish Penal Rosary evolved so that the Rosary might be prayed in secret, the beads carried unobtrusively in a pocket, hidden in the hand. An entire Rosary might be prayed by using the same set of beads five times, moving the ring from one finger to the next.

The primitive Crucifix used by Atelier-Beads might have been crafted by unskilled workers. This casting from Equatoria incorporates a simple corpus and the various instruments of the Crucifixion on front and back. It is worked in sterling silver or bronze, although a typical material would have been iron. The short arms in proportion to the length are also characteristic of this type of crucifix.

The beads were also made of simple materials--wood, horn, or bone--and not many survive.

This type of rosary is also known as a "tenner." It's convenient to carry in pocket or purse, available at any time.