John Ogden

The contributor writes: "A very unique and unusual funeral tribute from 1872. This layered embossed and die-cut Victorian beauty was a tribute to John Ogden who died on September 5, 1872 at the age of 46 years and was interred at St. John's Church, Manchester on the 10th. The beloved husband of Rachel Ogden." The contributor writes: "Beautifully constructed in what appears to be layers of heavy paper, measuring 9 inches wide by 11 1/2 inches tall, it has been diecut and embossed in the shape of a cathedral, depicting two praying angels and wonderfully ornate Victorian Gothic fretwork. The photograph of the deceased is 4 1/2 inches wide by 6 inches high and is like a sepia toned cabinet card and is still affixed to the back of the large diecut mourning card. The small postcard mounted near the bottom of the diecut 'cathedral' is silhouetted in cream colored raised relief on a black background — like a cameo — with cypress trees, flowers, a praying child, and an angel praying over a grave; centered in the middle is the poem. Note the shield shaped crest at the top center which has a Viking ship. Embossed in the lower left corner is the name 'Wood'."

An elaborate die-cut Victorian mourning tribute rather than a flat card. Only the poem is the artifact's own printed text; the rest is the contributor's description. No photograph of the tribute was preserved in the archive.