Click images to enlarge

deathmask.gif (107442 bytes)

 Child's ceramic death mask; circa 1910

 

boystatue.gif (77580 bytes)

 Marble memorial statue of boy;13" high; circa 1880s
haircurl1.gif (51438 bytes) French hairart memorial of three children commemorating  their deaths in 1870s; blonde hair curls, flowers and vines, with inscription and dates of death.

haircurl2.gif (47744 bytes)

Ringlets of hair cut from deceased little girl and saved as framed "memento mori"; c. 1880s 
hairart1.gif (96586 bytes) Hair art of deceased little girl encircling her CDV photo in center; white satin fabric from her coffin used as background fabric; c. 1860s mother.gif (69248 bytes) Wreath made of dyed and painted birdfeathers, encircling funeral photo of deceased woman; c. 1890s

mournlady.gif (30422 bytes)

 CDV of Mary Todd Lincoln in mourning dress; taken 1869 tearbottle.gif (52521 bytes) Victorian "tear catcher" bottle, 6" long; used by women to save their tears of grief as "memento mori"
sleepingboy.gif (45839 bytes)

Postmortem of little boy; c. 1900

 recliningboy.gif (36050 bytes) Chalkware memorial of deceased child laying on cross, holding palm branch; c. 1870s 
coffin.gif (58550 bytes) Poignant handcarved "coffin"  memorial of deceased infant, 9" x 4"; coffin plate on lid, containing postmortem image and mourning ribbon; c. 1870s

Close-up of postmortem tintype from "coffin" at left, of mother covered in "shroud" of bedcloth,  holding dead daughter
CLASP.gif (56295 bytes)  Memorial ring with hair of deceased, and seed pearls symbolic of tears; c. 1860s

 

Home