Object Record
Images
Metadata
Object Name |
Plate, Coffin |
Caption |
Metal coffin plate |
Description |
Silver(?) metal coffin plate engraved "Mother". Ribbed frame. Believed to be from the Kuhlmann family. Coffin plates were decorative metal adornments attached to a coffin. They contained various inscriptions like the name and death date of the deceased or a simple term of endearment such as "Our Darling". They were often beautifully engraved or decorated. Coffin plates go back at least as far as the 17th century and were reserved for people of wealth. Through the centuries, more people were able to afford the luxury of a coffin plate and with the industrial revolution, 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 became popular, they were often removed to be kept as mementos by the loved ones of the deceased. This practice peaked in the late 19th century (1880~1899). |
Catalog Number |
2015-0148-002 |
Search Terms |
Coffin plates Kuhlmann Family |
Subjects |
Coffin plates |