Coffin plates were popularly used in the 19th and early 20th centuries, though usage dates back to the 17th century. The plates above range from the 1872-1915. They were typically made from metals ranging from silver to tin based on the economic means of the deceased's family.
The plates would be attached to coffin with nails or propped near the
body in a casket. Family members would often remove the plate after the funeral and keep it as a memento of the departed. As the funeral industry grew at the turn-of-the-century, memorial decor became more extravagant. Elaborate jewel box caskets with silk
linings, special flower arrangements, memorial cards and coffin plates became standards. The postmortem photograph in this post illustrates the height of funeral decor. The coffin plate was propped near the body as an ornamental emblem.
The image below is of child in his carriage, with coffin plate attached to the velvet lining of the ambrotype case (circa 1856). If a family already had a favorite photograph of a child in their possession, they would often prepare their own memorial instead of going through the expense and trouble of having a postmortem image taken. They would attach, poems, locks of hair, pieces of clothing, or other mementos of the child’s life. Often they included mementos of the child’s death. A favorite souvenir of the funeral was the coffin plate, which was removed so the family could have a tangible piece of their loved ones burial chamber. Here the tiny coffin plate “Our Darling” that was fixed to this child’s coffin was attached on the mat. Considering that purple was a mourning color its possible the image was transferred to a case with a purple mat when the child died.
