Composition Mould
OriginEngland or America
MediumWood
DimensionsCarving: 11 7/8" (L) x 7/32" (W) x 7/32" (T). Base: 12 1/4" (L) x 2" (W) x 7/8" (T).
Credit LineGift of Mr. & Mrs. Elias Nassim
Object numberAF-X2023.2815
DescriptionIt is a length of carved wooden rope with 12 segments applied to a single wooden base. This would be used for furniture or picture framing. The diagonal incisions are 15/16" on center and are carved at a 45-degree angle. The incisions are 1/16" (W). The rope is 7/32" (W) x 5/32" (D).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.
