My Collection of Antique Funeral Items

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Greetings ~

Ever since I can remember, I have been interested in the funeral business. Not for morbid reasons, but as a business in itself. Back in the late 1960s, I worked for several local funeral homes around the Akron, Ohio area. I did odd jobs such as cleaning, driving, body pickups, etc. In the early 1970s, I was serving in the U.S. Army at Fort Dix, New Jersey and for my off-duty hours, I took a job with a funeral home in Pemberton.

I have collected funeral items all of my life. Coffins, clothing, ads, etc. This blog highlights a few of the items in my collection.

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Hello! I'm Mr. Ed

Blog Created: 7-26-2025

Last Updated: 8-21-2025

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COFFINS ~ CASKETS

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In 1967, I was 16-years old. In the Akron, Ohio area were many antique shops at that time. Back then there was no online shopping so there were a lot of businesses such as antique shops, second-hand stores, junk shops, etc.

One day I drove to an antique shop in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, not far from my home. I can't remember it's name but it was located on Front Street.

As I browsed around, way in the back of the shop, standing against a wall was an old coffin. This one was called a "pinch-toed" coffin as when they were made, the body was measured and the coffin was made to those measurements. There was no extra space inside. The coffin went from head to foot only.

This coffin had the glass window in the lid. Back in those days, there were several reasons for this. One was because some people died of the plague or yellow fever or other illnesses and these could be transferred to the living it was thought. Also, bodies didn't keep well before embalming and the window allowed for viewing but not smelling.

This coffin dates to the 1840s and, the best part...it was buried and dug up. It has the shovel marks in the lid.

I asked t he woman what the price was. She said she had wanted $50 for it. But because no one seemed to want it, I could have it for $35. So I snatched it up right away. I've had it ever since.

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From 1971 until 1973, I served in the U.S. Army at Fort Dix, New Jersey. Around late 1972, I was invited to a party at someone's home just outside of Wrightstown. The man who owned the house was a furniture dealer by trade. He was not a G.I.

I had a 1963 Chevy Impala at the time and when I drove up to the house after dark, I was thrilled to see it was an old dark Victorian farmhouse. It was in a very rural area.

When I got inside, the place was very nice, up to date and all remodeled. There was nothing strange or weird except that he was using an old casket for a coffee table. He had magazines stacked inside of it.

I remarked that I collected this sort of thing and he said, "you want it? Give me a price!" I was shocked and replied that he should stake a price. He said, "$25!" I grabbed it fast and we loaded it into the Chevy's trunk. He said if he knew it would be that easy, he would have said $50. I told him "and I would have payed that."

This coffin is junior size or for a short adult. It is dated in the 1880s and was factory made.

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Back in 1968, I visited another Akron, Ohio antique shop and found what I thought at first was an old wooden violin case. Then I opened it. It turned out to be a baby size coffin from the 1870s. The price was $15 so I bought it.

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CLOTHING ~

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Back in the 1870s and beyond, The Vial Funeral Parlor was one of several undertakers in Akron. The top hat and cane below belonged to Mr. Vial. The hat cost me $5 and the cane was $3. Believe it or not! I've had them since 1966.

NOTE: The sunglasses above are styled after that period. However, they are actually from McDonald's and was a promotion years ago for the Movie, Wild, Wild West! with Will Smith.

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MOTOR VEHICLES ~

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In 1967 I bought this 1956 Cadillac Superior Hearse/Ambulance combination from Frank's Garage used car lot on East Ave. in Akron. I payed $500 for it. It came complete with drapes and even an original stretcher. One of my rock bands was called The Hearsemen. I had bought a 1955 Cadillac Limousine the year before. When we arrived at our gigs, we arrived in a funeral possession with the hearse carrying the equipment and we rode in the limo. It was a cool gimmick.

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I have hung around old cemeteries all of my life. I love reading the gravestones and walking in the peaceful surroundings. Fact is, when I took my wife on our first date, it was to Glendale Cemetery in Akron. I knew that I had to marry her when she didn't run screaming into the night. We've been married now for well over 50-years.

I bought this 1930 Chevrolet Town Sedan back in 1998. It became what I have come to call, my "cemetery ride" ever since. I work with Find A Grave.com and hang out in cemeteries a lot gathering info and photos for the website. This is the car I take on nice weather days. Here it is photographed at Tallmadge Cemetery in Tallmadge, Ohio.

Here's Al Cabone in the back seat of the old Chevy.

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MISC. ITEMS ~

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This card is from Billow Funeral Home. Back in the 1970s it was placed on the door handle of cars that would be in the funeral possession to remind the driver to turn on their headlights.

This candle holder was a gift from my brother-in-law for my birthday back in the late 1980s.

I can't remember where I got this autopsy room sign. I've had it for 20-years or so.

This is Otis the giant spider. He guards the collection. If he bites you, you know you've been bitten.

While visiting Glendale Cemetery in Akron, I always check out the dumpsters. You never know what you'll find. On one day back in the 1990s, I found this sign that had gotten broken off of it's post and they tossed it out. I mounted it on a new post.

This incense burner is actually dated on the bottom 1311. It came from Europe and is the oldest piece in the collection. I bought it for $15 at a shop in Wrightstown, New Jersey back in 1972. In 1979, it was stolen from our house. A year later I found it in a second hand store in Stow, Ohio and bought it again for $20. I knew who took it but I could not prove it.

This is Sidney. He was killed in the War of 1812. Back in the middle 1960s, I was friends with the director of the Summit County Historical Society. I used my old 1951 Dodge Coronet to help move a bunch of artifacts from the Perkins' Mansion to the John Brown Home. I was not getting payed. I did it to help out. Afterward, the director said he wanted to give me something for my time and asked if there was anything I'd like. I told him I would like to have one of the human skulls that they had. I wanted an odd one. So I got Sidney. He had been shot in the jaw with a musket ball during a battle in the war. Sidney has been with me ever since. He even visited me at Fort Dix when I served in the Army. He sat on my dresser in my room there. Today, he has a prominent spot in a display cabinet in my den. We've become good friends.

Sidney has been buried and dug up. He has a nice smile. Look close at the lower part of his jaw and you can see the bullet wound.

This is Sidney's girlfriend, Wonda. She hangs out in my den display cabinet also.

Here's Mr. Bones. He sits on his coffin and smokes pack after pack of cigarettes. He prefers Coff'in Brand cigarettes.

These are the Bones family waiting for the bus.

This coffin style pocket ashtray I bought at a gift shop around 30-years ago.

I have never used it and it still has the original tag attached. It also has a keyring.

It's made of tin and has a cigarette holder that flips out when the lid is opened.

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NOTE:

This blog is not finished yet. I have a lot of other items to add as soon as I get thyem unpacked. Check back to see more ~

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