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 McNeel’s Cradle for the Lynch family is shown on page 281 of the classic McNeel’s The Greatest Name in Stonecraft. Cradles are not seen very often in my experience in cemetery visitation. However, they can be found in old cemeteries, such as the Biltmore Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia.
Cradles comforted us when we were babies, during the earliest period of our lives. They also are used to provide support to objects, such as ships under construction. Perhaps it is that reminder of comfort that was the origin for this design. Perhaps it was an expression of love by a parent in morning over the loss of a child.
McNeel presents the Lynch Cradle with the following dimensions, consisting of a die or tablet, a base, and two vases.
281
Lynch
Y-3521
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4-2 x 1-0 x 2-10
7-2 x 1-6 x 1-0
1-2 x 1-2 x 1-2
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Die
Base
2 Vases
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Lynch is presented with a 4 foot 2 inch long, 1 foot wide, by 2 feet 10 inches tablet, with a 7 foot 2 inches long base with a 1 foot 6 inches wide base that is 1 foot tall.
The vases are presented as 14 inches long, 14 inches wide by 14 inches tall. McNeel’s design has a sense of balance to it, as if it is expected that if there is something on one end, there must be something on the other end. Today, memorialists are less bound by a need for that balance. Proportions and harmony are centermost of importance in today’s memorials.
Importers still display the cradle design for European markets, but I have not seen it offered in the U.S. market by any modern retailer. I do not know the original use for the cradle; however, I can visualize it filled with plants in a mini-garden format. I hope the cradle design may provide comfort and support for someone you know.
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