And for those playing the drinking trivia game at home:
Funerals in ye olden days were seen as an opportunity to give people an assload of useless death-shwag. You couldn't even drive past a funeral (practically) in the 19th century without being presented with a Memento Mori. These could range from plates featuring portraits of the deceased, (hand-painted by his widow) to the most common; rings. The rings could be made entirely of hair, or include a few strands behind a setting or within a locket. What are commonly called "poison rings" in the modern lexicon were most often used as little memento holders, such as for hair of a loved one. Black gloves were common funeral gifts until the early 20th century. So next time you're sobbing over Grandma in her coffin, stop and think about how nice it was to not have to manufacture 150 personalized, hand-painted ash-trays bearing her image the night before.
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