Composition Mould
OriginEngland or America
MediumResin; Wood
DimensionsImpression: 12 3/4" (L) x 2 3/8" (W) x 3/4" (D) at the tip and 3/16" (D) at the edges of the segments. Inset: 14 1/4" (L) x 3 1/2" (W) x 1" (D). Base = 17 5/8" (L) x 5" (W) x 2 3/8" (T).
Credit LineGift of Mr. & Mrs. Elias Nassim
Object numberAF-X2023.2466
DescriptionThis is a long acanthus leaf resin impression. Each side of the leaf has 11 individual heavily veined segments with variegated tips. It is set into a multi-part 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.
