Composition Mould
OriginEngland or America
MediumCementitious material; Wood
DimensionsImpression: 12 1/2" (L) x 1" (W) x 3/16" (D). Base: 15 3/8" (L) x 2 3/8" (W) x 1 1/16" (T).
Credit LineGift of Mr. & Mrs. Elias Nassim
Object numberAF-X2023.2613
DescriptionIt is a cementitious mould of a length of lambs' tongue and acanthus leaf motif. It has 8 tongues and 7 1/2 acanthus leaves. The motifs are 1 1/2" on center. The lambs' tongues are 3/4" (W) x 11/16" (H). The acanthus leaves are the same measurements as the lambs' tongues. There is a wooden board partially covered by the cement that supports the mould.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.
