On December 29, 1903, Joseph Karwowski, received U.S. Patent No. 748284 issued on a Method of Preserving the Dead.

Karwowski explains that he first surrounds the corpse with a thick layer of sodium silicate or water-glass. After the corpse has been thus enclosed within the layer of waterglass, it is allowed to remain for a short time within a compartment or chamber having a dry heated temperature, to evaporate the water from this incasing layer, after which molten glass is applied to the desired thickness. The glass can be molded into a rectangular form, as shown in the Figures.

Finally, the heirloom nobody asked for.