Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1906-10-19
MORTUARY URNS,
New York Jewellers Keep Them In
stock In Various Designs.

New York Jewellers Keep Them In
stock In Various Designs.
1t Will come as a surprise to most
persons to know that many jewellers In
Fifth avenue, firms whose names are
household words, keep constantly on
hand n considerable stock OF mortuary
urns and are prepared to supply Gus.
toners on the shortest possible notice
Needless to say. these articles are not
exhibited. in the showcases. In one
case n well known firm keeps on hand
sketches of various designs, which are
cheerfully submitted on application.
And there is considerable competition
In this new department Such wares
are advertised in the circulars or books
issued by these houses. and great care
is taken that the designs shall not be
stolen and adopted by rivals.
The love of display is evident in this
trade. rs in most others. The price paid
for the more elaborate design of NOR
tuary urn is surprising. The most ex-
pensive of these urns are made from
exclusive designs OF good decorators
and the finest materials are used In
their construction. The designs vary
considerably in size and form. One
fashionable jeweler, for example. who
carries few exclusive designs. keeps
in stock urns varying from 500 to
$3.50. The cheapest OF these designs,
a simple black onyx urn measuring six
inches in height, Is quoted at the lower
figure. The most costly one is eight
inches in height, but is made Of pure
rock crystal. Some OF the urns are
made or bronze and are decorated with
symbolic figures and other DESIGNS
which are signed by well known sculp-
tors. These urns may be had decorated
with carved ivory or with rich designs
worked out in silver or gold. Another
popular form Is to have a vase which
exactly reproduces some famous vase
or antiquity. Several of the famous
vases in the Vatican museum have been
carefully reproduced in bronze of late
Tor the New York trade. These special
designs are, Of course, likely to be
very expensive, and instances of as
much as $1,000 being paid for a single
mortuary urn are known to the trade.
For customers who cannot AFFORD
these expensive forms there IS a great
variety OF comparatively simple and
inexpensive designs. The great pro-
portion OF the vases In actual use are
supplied by the mortuary companies.
A rev years ago most Of the urns used
In New York were of home manufac-
ture. but recently by enc Of the odd
freaks common to all trades the de-
mand has changed to imported urns.
One OF the most popular forms. IL the
word may, indeed, be used In this con-
nection, Is that imported from Japan.
Ihese are or stone and excellent ma
terial and, OF course, very durable. The
designs have been made familiar by
photographs from Japan, since tf,ey
follow the forms of the lanterns COM
mon to the ancient temples. These are
as rule, cylindrical in form or SQUARE
roofed over with the quaint roof acute
angles or japanese architecture. The
weight OF the covers or lids keeps them
closed.
Still other urns are imported from
Germany. Many of the designs work.
ed out In bronze, and even steel have
ready sale. The urns are sometimes
made In the form Of miniature Greek
temples, with columns carefully pro-
portioned, with doors opening and lock-
ing TO protect the ashes. The posi-
biiities Of these designs are. of course.
endless. Even famous tombs have
been reproduced In this way.
a visit to a crematory, and there are
several now in operation throughout
tne country, will illustrate how far
this curious industry OF supplying Gin
cry urns has progressed. After the
urns have been filed with ashes II Is
customary to place them in inches IN
the walls.-New York Herald.