Odd Fellows Coffin Cover

The wool funeral pall was made to drape over the coffin of a member of the Odd Fellows, a fraternal organization with historic roots in Britain. Made in Hardwick, Vermont in the 1890s, it was constructed from pieces of wool furnishing and suiting cloth with applied wool pieces and embroidery that reflect both Odd Fellow iconography (bee hive, crosses, three links of a chain) and motifs found on other decorative embroidered covers of the period (fans, vases paisley, floral and animal figures). While more research into the identity of "FLT" needs to be done, it was most likely made by a close female relative of this departed Old Fellows fraternal organization, they made major contributions to its charitable efforts and created ceremonial regalia, like this coffin cover.

It is the best example of a coffin cover made for a member of a fraternal organization in a public or private American collection. As an outstanding example of American Folk Art, it transcends categorization by function or cultural association. With its distinctive design rendered in wool cloth and embroidery, it can been seen as a late-19th century iteration of the New England wool quilt tradition that began in 18th and early 19th century. Like the MFA's singular 1830s wool quilt from Solon Maine (2005.95), this funeral pall will become part of the canon of vernacular or visionary American art. As a funerary object, this coffin cover would could potentially be included in exhibitions and publications that explore end-of-life themes.