Post-Mortem Collectibles 101 (My Halloween Post)

With Halloween here, I thought I would introduce the offbeat collecting category of post-mortem collectibles.  A little sad, a little gruesome, a little scary.  Besides the Halloween connection, I  want to generate interest in at least some aspect of post-mortem collectibles with my readers (you!) because when we are out and about, thrifting, attending auctions, and trolling estate sales, we all should be aware that death-related collectibles can be quite valuable.  A cabinet card with a group photo of a coffin with the family surrounding it is more valuable than a family portrait in which all members are alive.  If the deceased is posed in an unusual manner, the photo becomes even more valuable, and so on.

Sometimes one comes across a silverplate plaque that might say "My Darling", or "Dearest", or have a person's name and date of death.  These are coffin plaques, and were typically attached to a coffin before burial.

   

 
Did you know that furniture stores and department stores used to be the source for coffins?  It makes sense, because coffins of years ago were constructed of wood, not molded metal or fiberglass or whatever they're made of now. They were more like furniture.  I recall seeing a child's coffin for sale a while back at an antique mall in Saginaw.  It was very sad, as it had a little glass window right where the face would be, with a cover that one could slide to one side to view the deceased's face.

Last year I took this picture of the Owosso Casket Company factory in Owosso, Michigan.  It was owned by the Woodard Furniture Company, which was housed right next door:

Post-mortem collectibles can include anything related to death and dying.  As you can imagine, there are collectors for just about everything somewhere in the world, and death-related memorabilia is no exception.  And we're not just talking old photos and the occasional casket, but mortician's tools, embalming fluids, and makeup kits and cosmetics used to prepare bodies for viewing at the funeral home.  If you are interested, there is a collector book on this very topic, "Postmortem Collectibles" by C.L. Miller, published in 2001.

I recently purchased this print by Currier and Ives titled "A Woman's lIfe From the Cradle to the Grave".  I'll admit that my particular age group is represented by the woman at the tippy top of the pyramid.  You can see it's all downhill from there....

Apparently, Currier and Ives believed that if a woman reached the age of 100, she pretty much turned into a witch...

Once photography became popular, families often posed with the deceased loved one for a last portrait, or took a picture of the loved one in the bed or cradle having "one last sleep".  It was also customary to take a picture of the deceased in a typical pose inside the casket.  The little girl in the picture below shows her healthy in the first picture, and taken much too young in the heartbreaking second picture:

The shocking fact that I discovered while doing my "light research" for this post is that infant mortality (the percentage of infants 12 months and under that die) was 50 percent during the Victorian era (from about the mid-1800's to 1900).  Can you imagine? 

Isn't this next picture haunting?  These children, posing with the deceased baby, might be wondering who is next....

This picture was for sale at the Antiques Market of Williamston.  It looks like these two brothers are holding up a one-dimensional picture, but it is actually the deceased brother in his casket, propped up for the photo:

I found this next image interesting because of the wallpaper in the room.  Not that the people aren't interesting, but I just happen to have a fetish for old wallpaper.  Postmortem photos taken inside the person's residence are more valuable than those taken off premises, primarily because they provide a historical view of the furnishings and architecture of the time.  The man in the casket appears to be clutching a picture, and looks to be quite young, possibly the father of the adorable children:

 

This next picture is from  Post Mortem Collectibles, showing the fascinating tombstone of George Blount,  who died at the age of five when he fell over the bannister at the American House Hotel in Columbus, Ohio on Valentine's Day, 1873.  Just think of his devastated parents, comissioning the live-size sculpture of their little boy so many years ago!  Mysteriously, the tombstone is continuosly dressed in season-appropriate attire, and gifts are left for little George.  Could it be his ghostly parents, dressing their son?  I suppose they wouldn't have selected an OSU cap, but still, it's mysterious.....

 

Last spring I blogged about the equally sad tale of Rose Etta Fuller, who died at age 22 after falling into a cistern (a water recepticle) next to her home.  I have a lock of her hair that some family member clipped from her and saved all of these years, along with the obituary, in a little homemade silk folder:

 
 

Clipping locks of hair from the deceased was customary around 100 years ago.  The hair could be saved in a special way, like inside a locket or woven into jewelry.  Sometimes highly skilled artisans would weave an entire "wreath" made from hair, preserved in a shadowbox.  These typically sell for several hundred dollars.  Mementos of this type are called "memento mori".

Well, in 15 minutes the trick or treaters will be here, and I have to get myself and my house ready.  I hope everyone has a safe and fun Halloween!

Hauntingly Yours,

Mitzi

Comments

[sharon]

hi mitzi, excellent post as always....your comment about currier and ives and turning into a witch if you make it to 100 made me laugh out loud! i only had two trick or treaters out here in the boonies....hope you had more! thanks, sharon

[Theresa]

oh my creepyness! I have thought that some of our traditions are morbid and creepy now, but we've come a long way! Theresa xoxo

[Kathryn Nowosielski]

Cool and creepy, I love it! I picked up a picture recently that would fit this "category" (its on my last blog post) Happy Halloween!
hugs
kat

[Mitzi Curi]

Hi Sharon!

Thanks for visiting my blog, Im glad you had a laugh! We had quite a few trick or treaters last night. My two dogs are absolutely exhausted from all of the activity.

Mitzi

[Bev C]

Hello Mitzi,

I found this post very interesting. There is a show here in Australia called "The Collectors" which showcases collections of course. There was a young man who collected this type of stuff. Lots of broaches with peoples' hair in etc.
Happy collecting.
Bev.xoxo

[Colleen]

Mitzi, I have to admit that some of this is disturbing when viewed first thing in the morning...The Currier and Ives print really made me laugh though, because the lady depicted at 70 appears to be taking a pinch of snuff, and even at 100 she was expected to keep knitting!

[Autumn Luciano]

I actually have a small collection of post-mortem photos. I became obsessed with collecting odd antique photos. I have hundreds now, but my post-mortem collection isn't as big as I would like. I have a few of them on my antique photo collection site. I have about four more I haven't had a chance to scan yet. It really is a weird hobby, but I can't help it! I saw the one photo you posted of the two men by the casket many times when it was for sale. I always drooled over it but the price tag was a bit too high for my obsession. I try not to spend more than ten on a photo, even then it was to be really good. I haven't come across any posed photo of post-mortems, but I always keep an eye out for them.
Do you know about William Mumler? He discovered double exposure and made people believe is was spirits in the photos. I would kill for a spirit photograph! Still haven't seen any in person to this day. I've recreated a few spirit photos though, they are fun to do.

Here's a link to my antique photos if you want to check out the port-mortems, sadly its a pretty small section.

http://lucianofoetography.web.officelive.com/antiquephotos.aspx

[fancylinda]

Thanks for an interesting and informative post. I enjoyed it. I too am at the top of the pyramid - luckily things are a bit more optimistic for us nowadays!

[Lori]

Fabulous post! I always like to find pictures that have a floral clock representing the time of death made in flowers. Also ones taken in a home. I think death was just so common that we don't see the distraught expressions we certainly do today. fascinating piece, thanks! Lori

[Baubles&Beads&Books]

Hey Mitzi...
Fabulous post! As you can guess I have an interest in Memento Mori due to my jewelry addiction, but I found the cabinet cards fascinating and I LOVE LOVE LOVE the print. That is hilarious.
Laura

[Mitzi Curi]

Hi Laura!

Thanks for visiting, as always. Im glad you found the post interesting. I need to get over to your blog and have a look around today!

Mitzi