The Beautiful Story Behind the Breathtaking Fine Art Exclusive to Reliable Funeral Supply
The story of Reliable Funeral Supply, a division of Saint Francis Cromo, is one of resilience, courage, and faith. However, there is another story that is intertwined with that one — the story of one of the artists behind the inspirational original artwork that Reliable exclusively offers on its line of deathcare products.
The Story of Don Tirso George
It begins with Mr. Tirso George or Don Tirso George.
Nearly 50 years ago, Mr. Tirso George, father of Reliable Funeral Supply President and Owner Mr. Carlos George, had a dream.
“He dreamed of sharing his Catholic visions and more with the world,” explains Carlos. Sadly, as a resident of communist Cuba, Don Tirso’s dream had to wait until he and his family were able to flee to his home country.
As Don Tirso worked multiple jobs to provide for his family, he developed a relationship with Cromo N.B. in Milan, Italy, a 100-year-old establishment with an extensive gallery of classic religious and non-religious art rendered by gifted artisans. The work of one of those artisans, Adolfo Simeone, inspired Don Tirso to create Saint Francis Cromo and its vast line of funeral products featuring Simeone’s works.
The story of Adolfo Simeone
Adolfo Simeone was born in Naples, Italy in 1885. The son of a professional tailor, Simeone soon mastered the trade, and opened a small shop in Milan. In his spare time, Simeone indulged in his true passion: Painting. He was especially interested in portraying Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary, and displayed some of his renditions in his shop.
In 1930, Nino G. Basevi visited Simeone’s shop to have a suit tailored and noticed Simeone’s black-and-white-painting of Jesus and Mary. Impressed, Basevi offered Simeone the opportunity to paint for Basevi’s new company, N.G. Basevi — the forerunner of Cromo N.B.
Throughout the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, Simeone created some of the world’s most recognized religious art for Basevi. Remarkably, some of his breathtaking work took only two days to draw and paint. Accordingly, Simeone produced an impressive catalog that includes thousands of original works inspired by his deep religious faith. Since Simeone’s death in 1958 at age 73, the value of his paintings has skyrocketed, and Cromo N.B.’s collection has garnered worldwide recognition and admiration.
Preserving a legacy
Today, Cromo N.B. is recognized as the world’s leading producer of religious art thanks to the work of Simeone and other artists, including Bianchi, Secchi, and Bonelli. Each year Cromo N.B. shares one previously-unreleased work from Simeone to commemorate his classic Catholic collection.
As the exclusive partner of Cromo N.B. in the United States, Reliable Funeral Supply is committed to preserving Simeone’s legacy and honoring his talent by sharing his artwork with deathcare professionals and families who are grieving the loss of a loved one.
The Story Does Not End
Mr. Carlos George followed his father’s footsteps and has cultivated a professional and personal partnership with Cromo N.B.’s current owner, Federico, to allow Reliable Funeral Supply to produce new and exciting exclusively-copyrighted products.
“We have the flexibility to place our images on items like caskets and other permanent items like buildings,” says George. “Our designs are seen in cemeteries and mausoleums and churches across the country. With the help of Cromo N.B., we have been able to create new products and provide customers with quality and access to merchandise.”
Reliable Funeral Supply offers an extensive inventory of Catholic, Christian, and non-denominational-themed products in addition to prayer cards, acknowledgment cards, register books, SFC brand crosses and crucifixes, and more. Mr. George and his team can also create customized product packages for specific demographics. For example, if your funeral home serves predominantly Polish Catholic families, you will want to have a package on hand that features images that are meaningful to that ethnicity, such as the images of Divine Mercy and Our Lady of Czestochowa.
Most orders placed with Reliable Funeral Supply before noon PST, whether through one of the companies’ trusted distributors or directly with Reliable, will be fulfilled and shipped out on the same day they are received. The only exception is with larger personalized products such as caskets or urns, which have a slightly longer two-day turnaround.
“As the new name ‘Reliable’ implies, you can count on us to get the products you need as soon as possible,” adds George.
Learn More
If you’re interested in learning more about ordering directly from Reliable Funeral Supply, connecting with a distributor, or becoming a distributor of its products, please contact Carlos George at cg@sfcromo.com today!
