Perhaps the finest example of this type of “mourning good” is this Rookwood Pottery pitcher.  Featuring a bust of President Garfield on one side and an eagle on the other, this ceramic art pitcher was produced by Cincinnati’s Rookwood Pottery in 1881 and is attributed to Cincinnati artist Ferdinand Mersman.  Founded by artist Maria Longworth Nichols in 1880, Rookwood Pottery produced only one hundred of these pitchers in the months following Garfield’s death and would go on to become one of the country’s largest and most successful art potteries.

On the other side of the state, the Burford Brothers produced similar items in their pottery studio in East Liverpool, Ohio.  Founded by brothers Oliver, Robert, and George Burford, Burford Brothers Pottery formed in 1879 and was known for producing ironstone and creamware. Around 1881, they produced this stoneware commemorative plate featuring a silhouette of President Garfield surrounded by an ivy leaf border.  A successful pottery manufacturer well into the late 19^th century, the Burford brothers ultimately sold their company to East Liverpool's Standard Pottery Company in 1905.

Similarly, this pressed-glass plate was produced in 1881 and boasts a portrait of President Garfield under the words “Memorial.”  Manufactured in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, by Adams & Company, this commemorative plate was designed by local glass artist James Campbell.  Often referred to as “Adams Glass,” Adams & Company was founded by Pennsylvania glassmaker John Adams and was well-known in the late 19^th century for producing glass tableware and jelly tumblers.