Jackson Casket Maker Stays in Shadows

The gold casket sat front and center in Staples Center at the Michael Jackson memorial service on Tuesday. And like the memorial, the casket was clearly one fit for a king.

Many media outlets, including TMZ , identified the casket maker as Batesville Casket Company based in Indiana. TMZ reported that the casket, known as the Promethean, is solid bronze and 14-karat gold plated with a blue velvet interior. It retails for $25,000.

But the company has preferred to stay in the shadows of the media spotlight and modestly confirmed to the Indianapolis Star that Jackson's casket appeared to be one made by Batesville.

"We never discuss any particular business transaction, but based on the images we saw on television, it appears to be a Promethean," Batesville spokewoman Teresa Gyulafia told the newspaper.

The Promethean is the same casket that was used to bury soul singer James Brown. As the world's largest casket maker, Batesville's caskets have been used in many celebrity funerals, including those for Farrah Fawcett, Bob Hope, Wilt Chamberlain and Fred Astaire.