If you've ever wandered through an old cemetery, from time to time you
will come upon a grave marker that is quite different. The marker is metal,
has a blueish tint to it, and in most instances, has weathered very well.
In old cemeteries, you may find more than one... they are very special
markers as they were only produced during a certain time in our history.
The marker I'm speaking of here, appears on the front over of Tales
Unleashed and is in the Five Corners Cemetery in Jasper, N.Y.....the
place we used to frequent when we were kids.
Below is some information on those markers. The next time you go
for a walk....take a look, there's a good chance you'll run across one.
“White Bronze” grave markers are actually made from zinc. The fancy white
bronze
name was a marketing ploy to make the zinc material sound more attractive.
The
white bronze markers came from the Monumental Bronze Company, Bridgeport,
Connecticut and its later subsidiaries. The
markers were sold nationwide. General
time frame for these markers is 1870's to
1912.
The colors can be pale grey to
a very pale baby blue. The markers are hollow so
there
will be vertical seams at the corners. There are stories of how gardeners hid
garden
tools in tall white bronze monuments and how outlaws hid their loot in
them.
Sometimes poor quality repairs
are made to zinc markers by using steel screws,
usually as replacements for missing screws.
The steel screws can rust and cause
discoloration.
These zinc markers have stood the test of time better than their
neighboring
contemporary stone markers eaten away by lichens and mosses.
Fascinating uh? Have a great week everyone, thanks for stopping by. SS
