HORSE-DRAWN FUNERAL VEHICLES, Carriage Museum of America, 2004
This is the most comprehensive book to be published on horse-drawn funeral vehicles - hearses, undertaker's wagons, embalmer's wagon, pall-bearers' coach, and florist wagons, with specifications and engineering drawings for the different vehicles.
The book starts out with a summary of some of the leading hearse manufacturers with separate chapters for the following builders: James Cunningham, Son & Co., Rochester, New York--Crane & Breed, Cincinnati, Ohio-- Merts & Riddle, Ravenna, Ohio--George L. Brownell, New Bedford, Massachusetts--Tolman, Worcester, Massachusetts--St. Louis Coffin Co., St. Louis, Missouri.
The chapter on hearses starts out with the earliest known American hearse in the collection of the Maine State Museum, and starting in 1856 the book includes all the hearses found in the old trade journals for carriage builders to 1909.
Next is a a chapter on trimming - lamps, fringes and hardware for hearses.
The chapter on undertaker's wagon starts with a undertaker's wagon from a private collection having wooden axles and the chapter ends with the most elaborate enclosed glass paneled vehicles.
A small chapter on embalming wagons also includes illustrations of some of the accessories used by the embalmer in the 19th century.
Examples of the distinctive type of vehicle that became known as the Pall-bearers Coach are given just before the extensive chapter on 19th floral tributes and florist wagons.
A rare book of Floral Designs from 1888 was used for many of the engraving in this special chapter of Floral Tributes.
Nineteenth century funerals, the second half of the book, is largely due to Michael P. D'Amato, Esq., and his collection of engravings from Harper's Weekly, Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper and others.
Nineteenth century funerals starts with the funeral of Henry Clay in 1852 and ends with various old photographs of the early 1900s.
Separate chapters have been included in the book for Military Funerals with Caisson and the funerals of Presidents and Ex-Presidents ending with Grover Cleveland.
For the final chapter some of the prose and poetry of the 19th century for funerals is reprinted. This is the result of many different collections in libraries and private collections, being used.
8 1/2" x 11", 414 pages, 800 B&W photos and illustrations, hardbound, ISBN: 1-880499-14-2, BH6966 / $37.00
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