History of Funeral Directing Chapter 7

Fisk Metallic Coffin

"An air-tight coffin of cast or raised metal" -Lightweight, so it used the least amount of metal possible.

Coffins made of stone or marbles patent expired in _____ because _________ and _______.

-1849 -Hard to manufacture -not very nice looking

Who was Paul Jones?

-Hero of revolutionary war -was buried in 1792 in lead coffin and his limbs were wrapped in tin foil.

In the 1800's they wanted to improve the function, style, and composition of the coffin by

-Increasing utility -Better indicate the importance of the dead and their family -Provide protection against grave robbers -Protect against the elements -Should be more artistic and beautiful in order to influence an aesthetic movement in burials

Iron caskets were referenced as an ___ or ___, not a burial receptacle.

-Iron box -container

Influence of Also Rans (2)

-Potential market for more artistic or more serviceable funeral receptacle. -"hard facts" of production and distribution

What was the purpose of outer burial containers/ vaults?

-Protection of caskets & remains -Continuity of grave

Also Rans were

-Terra cotta -wood and cement -glass and iron -cross shaped

Three types of burial receptacles commonly used during the 19th century?

-The Metallic "mummy case" -Cloth covered metal reinforced burial case -Traditional wooden coffin

5 Major Themes in proper function of the coffin

-Utility -Status Indication -Preservation of the body -Protection -Aesthetic representation

Features of Glass coffins

-non conductive -durability -cheap -easily manufactured -transparency

Advantages of BURIAL CASES

-simple in design -not ornate -air tight -claimed to stop the spread of contagion and slow down the process of decomposition

When was the Civil war

1812

What year did the mood of funerals start to change from gloomy to beautiful?

1850

Cloth- covered caskets began in

1871

In what century was the old fashion coffin slowly turned into the modern casket?

19th century

Who made Fisk Metallic Coffins?

Almond D. Fisk

Why didn't the colonists stockpile coffins?

Because coffin makers available locally who could make coffins on demand and they turned out to be pretty respectable coffins.

Following the war of 1812, Why was there a rapid growth and spread of coffin shops?

Because of the war, many people had died and needed coffins

What were the grave robbers nicknamed?

Body snatchers

Who was the first to utilize coffins made of iron?

British Trade Undertakers

What happened in 1878?

Burial safe were made and protected against robbers

Made of wood with metal reinforcements and were cloth covered

Cloth- covered caskets

Coffin-shops emerged followed by...

Coffin warehouses and furnishings undertakers

In 1870's the FIRST true sheet metal caskets were made by

Crane, Breed, & Co.

Frans Vester of Newark, NJ

Designed 2nd life signal casket designed to operate AFTER burial

Christian Eisenbrandt Baltimore, MD

Designed life signal caskets designed to preserve life incase of doubtful death

George Boyd

Developed the burglar proof vault which developed into the present air sealed burial vault

Purpose of life signals

Fear of live burial and grave robbers

Air tight to prevent decay

Fisk Metallic Coffin

Resembled an ancient Egyptian sarcophagus with a glass plate to allow the face to be visible

Fisk Metallic Coffins

Who was John Dillon?

Founded the FIRST shroud and coffin warehouse in NY

What happened in 1879?

George Boyd patented vault design still in use today.

What were iron coffins advertised as?

Ghoul- proof

What caused grave robbings?

Grown of medical science in England. There was a need for corpse to be used in anatomical studies.

Who was A.C. Barstow or Rhode Island?

He developed the "ogee" design

What did George Boyd do?

He developed the metal grave, burglar proof vault which is present today

Burial Vaults and Outside boxes

Idea started from the desire of permanent protection of the body from ghouls and the elements

What does the term "casket" suggest/ mean?

Jewel box or a container for something valuable (A Cask)

Bells Ladders Electrical alarm Open air vent Coffin torpedo (exploded when someone tries to rob grave)

Life signal characteristics

Crane, Breed, & Co.

Made the first sheet metal caskets

What happened between 1900-1920?

Mass production of burial vaults

We're concrete vaults as we know today common before 1900?

NO, they were common after 1900

Shapes of the COFFINS were always

Octagonal with all sides flat

In 1836

Patents were granted for coffins made of stone or marble and hydraulic cement

Who built President Grants cloth- covered casket?

Samuel Stein

Who displayed their caskets in Philly Centennial?

Samuel Stein

Who introduced cloth- covered caskets?

Samuel Stein

What was the name of the casket that Samuel Stein made for ex President Grant?

Style E State Casket

Why didn't colonists stockpile or import coffins

The Embargo Act stopped the trading of good

What was the most significant development in funeral business in the 19th century?

The growth of coffin shops and the increased attention to the casket as a major item in the burial.

With coffin making booming, the emphasis in funerals began to shift in the direction of the coffin, in regard to

The price, quality and diversity of purpose

What were lead coffins used for?

To help prevent decay of body

What was the ogee designs specific purpose?

To remove as much of the excess material as possible. -less material wasted -lowers the cost of a casket

By 1860 coffin patents included iron, cement, marble, and artificial stone, potters clay, cement, wood, zinc, iron and glass? T or F

True

By the mid-1800's the small coffin shops were no longer dominating the market. T or F

True

Coffin materials other then wood made their appearance in the first half of the 19th century? T or F

True

Different varieties of wood revealed the economic status of the person buried T or F

True

Embalmers had a hand in casket asking and vault selling? T or F

True

In 1862 there was a change in burial cases. T or F

True

In the 1890's caskets were square in form and the octagonal coffin was no longer used T or F

True

In the 1890's the term Casey was starting to be used more frequently than coffin? T or F

True

Many other receptacles were dreamed up, but never gained popular acceptance T or F

True

Money & patents limited manufacturing ability T or F

True

Stove manufacturers began to make burial cases out of metal. T or F

True

The champion company manufactured most vaults in the 1890's T or F

True

There was a determined effort to improve the function, style and composition of the coffin? T or F

True

The original material used during the 19th century were grave liners of rock, stone, and brick. Later concrete slabs were used in sectionals sealed with sand-cement mortar. T or F

True, called burial safes

Hard wood was for the rich

True. Cherry, mahogany

Soft wood was for the poor. T or F

True. Pine

Early American coffins were made of

Wood