Casket Breast-Plates - Keir Memorial Museum
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History Of The Artefact:
The coffin plates or Breastplates on caskets date back to the 1600’s and were made of metals such as: lead, copper, pewter, silver, brass, zinc or tin and placed on the casket with two small screws. Some were plainly designed while others were highly decorative and displayed hand-engraved scroll design but they all contained the basic information such as the name of the deceased, his/her date of birth and the date of death. The breastplate was usually removed from the casket before burial by loved ones of the deceased as a memento. This practice continued mainly in the North Eastern United States and Canada from the 1840s until the practice peaked in the 1920s and since then it has almost stopped.
Many breastplates were and are still discovered in attics and are great conversation pieces at “show and tell” genealogical and historical society talks. However, now they are a rare artefact.
Many breastplates were and are still discovered in attics and are great conversation pieces at “show and tell” genealogical and historical society talks. However, now they are a rare artefact.