Victorian Salesman Sample "Charley" Dog Gravestone Paperweight

In the 19th century, elaborate funerals weren't just held for people, they also held them for dogs!

A touching tribute for a loyal friend and companion, canine funerals saw a rise in popularity in the 1880s with the opening of the first public pet cemetery, The Hyde Park Dog Cemetery, in London, followed by the Hartsdale Canine Cemetery in New York just a little more than a decade later. 

Dog funerals often had the same degree of pomp and ceremony as that of a lost (human) family member or loved one. While some were kept simple and informal, others were over the top -- complete with funeral cards, sacred music and even funeral processions with coaches and servants!

Grieving owners also spared no expense when it came to denote the final resting place of their beloved companion. Graves were marked with simple to elaborate headstones, which often included the animal's name, date of birth and death, as well as a touching epitaph. 

Some headstones were designed to capture the animal's likeness and often depicted them sitting or lying on a bed, just like this salesman sample gravestone paperweight. 

Cast in iron treated to look like bronze, this solemn, yet touching piece features Charley, an obedient Labrador, lounging on his bed. 

The base gives his name and the epitaph, "Watch Thou In All Things." On the underside of the base there is a bolt that can be unscrewed to adjust the direction of the dog's head. 

This sample would have been shown to bereaved pet owners by gravestone makers or funeral homes as an example of headstone option for their dearly departed.