Casket sample question

[Bill Leverett]

I came across this casket sample the other day. Hoping someone with funery item knowledge can help out. The owner stated that it's a sample of a plain casket cover? The casket "cover" would be placed over a simple wooden box providing the appearance of a regular casket. The interior box (probably not the proper term) would be draped so that the difference between the box and the casket shell would not be noticed.

The interior box would be affixed to the casket cover by a clip and a screw mechanism. Following the service, the mechanism woud be uncrewed and unlatched allowing the shell to be removed and the box then buried.

Is this correct? Also does this sample appear to be legit or is it all made up? Value? There are no markings on the item to indicate a brand.

Thanks.

 

[Terry Lange]

Although I've never seen one of these, the concept makes sense. Pretty similar to today's rental caskets for cremation, where the casket shell is either lowered over the cardboard cremation container, or the cremation container is slid in through a door in the foot end of the casket. From those pictures and the story-line, I'd guess that this may be from the '40s - '50s or even earlier.

 

[Bill Leverett]

Thanks Terry.

 

[Richard Vyse]

That is a nice item, wow! Appears to me to be a casket sample for a salesman but Brady Smith would probably be the one who knows more about this item. If you want to sell, I would be interested.

Now it could be a "rental casket" sample explaining how the insert would be placed and then removed after the service. Perhaps used when rentals were just beginning to be used, maybe!

 

[Bill Leverett]

That is a nice item, wow! Appears to me to be a casket sample for a salesman but Brady Smith would probably be the one who knows more about this item. If you want to sell, I would be interested.

Now it could be a "rental casket" sample explaining how the insert would be placed and then removed after the service. Perhaps used when rentals were just beginning to be used, maybe!

Thanks Richard. I have no idea what this would be worth and I currently don't own it...if anyone has an estimate please let me know.

 

[John ED Renstrom]

Yes the illusion of spending more then you did.