Composition Mould
OriginEngland or America
MediumBoxwood; Lacquer
DimensionsCarving:12 3/8" (L) x 7/16" (W) x 1/4" (D). Inset: 13 1/4" (L) x 3/4" (W) x 1/2" (D). Base: 17 3/8" (L) x 4" (W) x 1 3/4" (T).
Credit LineGift of Mr. & Mrs. Elias Nassim
Object numberAF-X2023.1041
DescriptionThis mould is a long, single ribbon curled around a central stem boxwood carving. It is a design that is typically used on furniture. There are 16 twists along its length. The lacquered boxwood is inset in a multi-part wooden base.Label TextThis antique composition mould represents a trade that was practiced in Virginia during the Revolutionary period and into the 19th century. It depicts a common design found in upper class homes and public buildings. Composition was a substitute for more laboriously produced ornamental plaster and carved wood and stone. It is thought that the Adam brothers (Robert Adam 1728-1792) and John Adam (1721-1792)) played a major role in the initial manufacture of composition ornament on a grand scale. The Adam style demanded a large amount of delicate low-relief ornament. These moulds are for the production of such ornament in plaster, or in composition, usually a combination of whiting, glue, rosin and oil. The finished ornament was used on furniture and other objects as well as in the decoration of rooms.
