Coffins, Burial Cases Coffins, Burial Cases and Casketsand Caskets

1717thth and 18 and 18thth Century Coffined Century Coffined Burial in AmericaBurial in America

1750: coffined burial common among upper and 1750: coffined burial common among upper and middle classmiddle class

subdivision of craftssubdivision of crafts

1800: “coffin furniture” manufactured in America1800: “coffin furniture” manufactured in America

Readings Question #1Readings Question #1

Describe the early American coffins of the Describe the early American coffins of the wealthy as well as the less fortunate.wealthy as well as the less fortunate.

coffinmaking became a specialtycoffinmaking became a specialty

““furnishing undertakers”furnishing undertakers”

1850: “coffin shop”1850: “coffin shop”

Early Coffin Shops and Coffin Early Coffin Shops and Coffin WarehousesWarehouses

War of 1812: Western expansionWar of 1812: Western expansion

rapid growth and spread of coffin shopsrapid growth and spread of coffin shops

coffin warehousescoffin warehouses

funerals began to emphasize the coffinfunerals began to emphasize the coffin

quality, price and “diversity of purpose”quality, price and “diversity of purpose”

2/3 of the funeral bill was the cost of the 2/3 of the funeral bill was the cost of the coffincoffin

Readings Question #2Readings Question #2

List the goals that the coffin and casket List the goals that the coffin and casket makers set for their product.makers set for their product.

Stone and Metal CoffinsStone and Metal Coffins

1835: 11835: 1stst American patents for coffins made of American patents for coffins made of stone, marble, and cementstone, marble, and cement

1836: 11836: 1stst American patent for a metal coffin American patent for a metal coffin

1860: patents on coffins made of clay; cement 1860: patents on coffins made of clay; cement and wood; iron and wood; zinc; iron and glass; and wood; iron and wood; zinc; iron and glass; iron; cement; marble; and artificial stoneiron; cement; marble; and artificial stone

1900: patents for vulcanized rubber, fabricated 1900: patents for vulcanized rubber, fabricated metals; papier-mache; aluminum; cloth and metals; papier-mache; aluminum; cloth and wood; wood and glass; inner-coffins; celluloid wood; wood and glass; inner-coffins; celluloid

Readings Question #3Readings Question #3

Describe the “Fisk Metallic Coffin”. What Describe the “Fisk Metallic Coffin”. What were some of its claims?were some of its claims?

Fisk Metallic CoffinFisk Metallic Coffin

The one on the left was disinterred in 1969.The one on the left was disinterred in 1969.

Metallic Burial CasesMetallic Burial Cases

1850: first introduced to America1850: first introduced to America

new mode of coffin construction based on new mode of coffin construction based on mass production methodsmass production methods

stove manufacturersstove manufacturers

Readings Question #4Readings Question #4

What were the 3 primary claims made by What were the 3 primary claims made by the manufacturers of metallic burial cases.the manufacturers of metallic burial cases.

Metallic Burial CasketMetallic Burial Casket

1859: rectangular shape adopted1859: rectangular shape adopted

““ogee design”ogee design”

lighter metal and cloth-covered wooden lighter metal and cloth-covered wooden burial cases and caskets were becoming burial cases and caskets were becoming more popularmore popular

early 1870’s: 1early 1870’s: 1stst sheet metal casket sheet metal casket

1890’s: term “casket” used1890’s: term “casket” used

Cloth Burial CasesCloth Burial Cases

1871: Stein Casket Company1871: Stein Casket Company

wood casket, covered with clothwood casket, covered with cloth

competition with the curability of the competition with the curability of the metallic burial casesmetallic burial cases

Readings Question #5Readings Question #5

What happened at the Philadelphia What happened at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition of 1876 that Centennial Exposition of 1876 that influenced the public’s opinion of cloth influenced the public’s opinion of cloth burial cases?burial cases?

Readings Question #6Readings Question #6

Describe the “Style E State Casket”.Describe the “Style E State Casket”.

1890 Stein merged with the National 1890 Stein merged with the National Casket CompanyCasket Company

Readings Question #7Readings Question #7

Describe the various types of “life signals” Describe the various types of “life signals” that were patented from 1868 – 1882.that were patented from 1868 – 1882.

Readings Question #8Readings Question #8

Describe the “coffin torpedo”. What was Describe the “coffin torpedo”. What was its purpose?its purpose?

Burial Vaults and Outside BoxesBurial Vaults and Outside Boxes

1919thth century: rock, stone, brick or concrete century: rock, stone, brick or concrete slabsslabs

1890: “sectionals”1890: “sectionals”

1872: coffin-box1872: coffin-box

““rough box”rough box”

1900: concrete burial vault introduced1900: concrete burial vault introduced