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ANTIQUES PEEK by Jessica Kosinski
ANTIQUES PEEK

Posthumous Promotions

hen it comes to collecting death- The Use of Home Products to Promote
related items, a large category on Funeral Homes
Wwhich you may choose to focus is The purpose of using promotional items to
funeral home advertising. In the early days, promote funeral homes was to keep the names
advertisements for funeral homes and other of those funeral homes visible to potential
businesses mainly consisted of fliers and clients. Eventually, there was a shift from
newspaper advertisements. However, they advertising funeral homes in public places like
later branched out into various types of churches and general stores to making sure
promotional products. Many of those prod- individual families received promotional
ucts are still collected today. To understand items. When that shift took place, sometimes
how they came about and why they are fun to stores sold goods that featured advertising
collect, we need to take a peek at the evolution local funeral homes. Other times, the funeral
of the American funeral. We also need to peek homes gave items away for free. One such
into the history of advertising techniques and
trends in the United States. major category of promotional items for the
home was the writing implement category.
The History of American Promotional pens and pencils were viewed as
Funeral Practices good advertising investments by all sorts of
Before, and even sometimes during, the Antique Funeral Fans from Lincoln NE companies, including funeral homes because
1860s, the at-home funeral was more or less
the only option available when someone After the production of that button, many
passed, especially in many rural areas. Even promotional items began to be produced over
when the first undertaker businesses started the years. However, it was not until the
popping up, at-home funerals were often mid-1800s that traveling salesmen started
preferred. It was only during the Civil War touring around the country in larger numbers
that trends started to shift. After-death care and needed ways to keep their product or
was often left in professional hands, service name out in front of the others. That
and undertaking gained a solid professional also led to companies looking for ways to
footing. However, it was not until around bring product visibility to small-town
the 1930s and 1940s that the transition from America. When they did so, they began giving
undertakers to morticians, and eventually durable, highly-visible promotional products
funeral homes with funeral directors, often made of metal to the general store
was complete. and cafe owners. Those consisted of such
useful and attention-grabbing items as large
thermometers. Approximately 350,000
salesmen were traveling around the country
distributing such promotional products to Metal Document Box ca. 1920s or 30s
store owners by 1900. By the time funeral people used them daily. In fact, to this
homes were popularized in the 1930s and day pens and pencils are frequently used to
1940s, promotional item use by companies of advertise many modern companies.
all sizes and types was in full swing.
Types of Funeral Home Promotional
Early Promotional Funeral Products to Look For
Home/Church Fans Church fans are among
Some of the earliest promotional items the most popular funeral
used by funeral homes were handheld church home collectibles. They were
fans. Air conditioning as we know it now was usually constructed of fairly
not popularized until the 1950s. Even when it flimsy material and could be
Vintage Wike and was, many congregations could not afford to lost easily due to fires, water
Clauser Funeral Home Burnham Funeral Home install cooling systems in their churches. damage, or prolonged use.
Egg Separator 1945 Calendar Often, a hand fan featured a biblical depiction They were also prolifically
on one side, and a funeral home advertise- produced for many years in
The Corresponding History of American ment was displayed on the other. Some later high quantities. Since so
Advertising Practices and fans branched off into depicting important many were made, many have
Promotional Products modern icons of the day instead of biblical survived to the present day.
For as long as products and services have scenes. For example, in some African Many of the metal items
existed in the United States, people have American segregated communities, fans produced to promote funeral
worked on ways to promote them. In depicting Martin Luther King Jr. popped up homes, such as thermometers,
Colonial America and the early days of the when he rose to popularity. have also survived. Although,
United States, word of mouth and print they can have rust or other
advertisements were the only options. That damage due to age.
began to change in the United States in 1789.
That year, a button was made to commemo- Continued on page 35
rate President George Washington’s first term
in office. Dearth Funeral Home bottle opener McArdle Funeral Home thermometer
selling for $100 auroramills.com
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