Victorian Horse-Drawn Hearse Doors And Panels

Own these rare, hand-carved wooden remnants of a Victorian funeral carriage.

Giving up the ghost in the Victorian age was a particularly romantic affair, as the “beautification of death” movement conjured a new air of extravagance to comfort the grieving. Embalming and post-mortem photography gave the dearly departed an extended lease on life. Mourning jewelry and other art, often infused with hair from the dead, meant a loved one who passed on would never be too far away. Coffins of death’s gilded age were trimmed with ornamental hardware, including decorative thumbscrews and plates inscribed with names, commemorative phrases (Our Darling), symbolism, or, in the case of the rare Sad Hour coffin plaque, depicting the time of death.

Likewise, the horse-drawn hearses that conveyed the dead to their final places of rest were elegant black carriages adorned with plumes of ostrich feathers and ornate, hand-carved wooden panels.

Few remain today, which is why these original Victorian hearse doors and panels available from artist and Etsy seller Sara Radovanovitch are particularly enchanting.

Describing the doors, Sara writes:

Turn-of-the-century doors from the back of a Victorian funeral carriage. Very rare to come by these! Can be repurposed into cabinet doors for a gothic style cabinet of curiosities, armoire, or perhaps a headboard for a bed? Very unique and beautifully carved panels with original hinges attached. Very sturdy with no wood rot, only some weathering on the matte black paint that coincides with its age.

The panels with carved floral designs are equally full of possibilities, but they would look great just hanging on the wall beside your Ouija board collection:

See more photos and buy these amazing pieces in Sara’s Etsy shop right here.