Crane & Breed Casket Co. Three Wise Monkeys Paperweight

Item Details

An original Crane & Breed Casket Company cast metal paperweight of three wise monkeys, back to back. Each of the monkeys is holding its hands on either its ears, mouth, or eyes to convey the old adage, "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil". This paperweight has a dark finish, with handwritten letters displayed in white. To the bottom, this piece is marked "Crane & Breed C. Co".

Crane & Breed was started in the 1850s after acquiring a patent by a man named Almond Dunbar Fisk, who is credited with creating the first form-fitting, airtight metal casket. After his untimely death, Fisk’s family sold his patent to what would become Crane & Breed Casket Company. This paperweight, and others like it, were promotional items for the company, as samples of their fine metalwork.

Dimensions

Item #

17CIN188-177