Michael Lehr Antiques
Live Auction

June 2026 Vernacular Photo History Auction

Wed, Jun 24, 2026 11:00AM EDT
Lot 350

Cabinet Card, Memorial Card, Mrs. Patrick Burke, 1899

Estimate: $25 - $50

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$100 $10
$200 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$20,000 $2,000
$50,000 $5,000
A memorial mourning card for Mrs. Patrick Burke, who died July 29, 1899, at the age of 38 years, 4 months, and 4 days, presented in cabinet card format with gold-on-black printing throughout. The card was copyrighted in 1898 by H. F. Wendell of Leipsic, Ohio, indicating a pre-printed stock design personalized with the deceased's name and vital information. The format was a common funerary keepsake distributed to mourners in the late nineteenth century.

The central illustration depicts a long-haired female figure kneeling in prayer before a large stone cross, set against crashing waves and rocky terrain, with dramatic rays of divine light emanating from parted clouds above. Decorative scrollwork borders the lower left corner, and an ornamental divider separates the name and dates from the mourning verse below.

An eight-line bereavement verse fills the lower left quadrant, beginning "Tis hard to break the tender cord / When love has bound the heart" and concluding with "Till we see thy heavenly face," reflecting the sentimental religious tone characteristic of Victorian mourning culture.

The copyright line reads: Copyright, 1898, by H. F. Wendell, Leipsic, O.

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