For most Americans, the idea of picking out a coffin or urn for a departed loved one is a melancholy affair. However, that’s not the case for coffin artists from the UK and West Africa. Instead, you could pick out a final resting place shaped like a giant uterus, a sports sneaker, an enormous chameleon, or a giant banana. On the other hand, why not purchase a brightly-colored glittery box to go out Liberace-style?
Glitter Coffin Company offers made-to-order “beautiful bespoke glitter and crystal coffins and caskets” from the UK. Glittering hand upholstered studded boxes are available in a rainbow of colors for full-size burials or the ashes of pets and loved ones. The company prides itself on using non-Chlorinated Plastic that won’t give off emissions on 100 percent cotton biodegradable fabric. The average cost for a coffin is around $220 and they will ship worldwide.
On Instagram, the company features a horse-drawn carriage with a glittering pink coffin covered in flowers, quite the fairytale send-off to the afterlife.
If you find pink is too subdued for your taste, you can buy a glittering purple coffin.
Coffins Paraded in Funeral Celebrations
Meanwhile, in Ghana, Paa Joe Coffin Works will sell you the most whimsical coffins imaginable by an internationally “renowned coffin artist.” In Ghana, funerals are a celebration. So, Joseph Ashong, known as Paa Joe, gets the party started with “fantasy coffins” representing the deceased person’s passions or their profession.
So far, Paa Joe, 72, has made over two-thousand coffins starting in 1976. He learned the trade over 12 years, following in the footsteps of his uncle. Paa Joes’ pieces have been exhibited as works of art all over the world.
From the New York Post:
“In Ghana, most dead are buried in these coffins to reflect their lives,” says Joe. “And during the funeral celebration, the coffin is paraded throughout the whole community.”
Going Out With a Bang!
The spectacular coffins don’t come cheap, but at least you can go out with a bang!
“Depending on the level of detail (other commissions have included figures of naked women, Porsches, and cameras), these coffins can take anywhere from five to 15 weeks to make — ordered while its future occupant is still alive. Fittingly, they’re also quite expensive at $15,000 to $20,000 a pop, depending on the details,” reported the Post.
Certainly, these coffins would be surprising to most Americans. Would you consider one of these coffins? If so, what would you choose?
See more examples from Paa Joe below.