1904 Canada coffin plaque, cross and photo (Louis Descrochers)

$175.00 CAD

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Set of three funeral related items. All were purchases together, so I assume they are all related to same deceased person.

Coffin Plaque

Metal plaque inside wood frame covered in velvet. Elaborate metal corner covers.

LOUIS DESROCHERS
    AGÉ DE 58 ANS
DÉCÉDÉ  OCT. 30 1904

 

No maker’s mark.

11.50 x 19.50 cm //  4 ½” x 7 ¾”

Metal Cross

Heavy metal cross with Jesus.

No maker’s mark.

19 x 10 cm //  7 ½” x 4 “

Funeral photo

Photo of coffin covered in flowers. Coffin is located in room of a house.

Photo is split in two.

Mounted on cardboard card.

12 x 18 cm  //  4 ¾”  x 7 ⅛”

 

Coffin plates are decorative adornments attached to a coffin that can contain various inscriptions like the name and death date of the deceased or a simple terms of endearment.

They are usually made of a soft metal like lead, pewter, silver, brass, copper or tin. The different metals reflect the different functions of the plates, or the status and wealth of the deceased. For a basic funeral, a simple lead plate would be lettered with the name, date of death and often the age of the departed, and nailed to the lid of a wooden coffin.

...by the mid-19th century, the cost of the plates decreased so much that almost every family could afford to have one put on the coffin of their loved ones.

When coffin plates began increasing in popularity, the practice of removing the plates from the coffin before burial became the trend as they were often removed by the loved ones to be kept as mementos of the deceased. This practice peaked in the late 19th century.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffin_plate