Composition Mould
OriginEngland or America
MediumWood; Shellac
DimensionsOverall = 13 5/8" (L) x 2 1/2" (T) x 6 5/8" (W). The chamfers are 3/4" (W), The scroll is 11 3/16" (L) x 4" (W) and 2 1/2" (W) x 3/8" (D).
Credit LineGift of Mr. & Mrs. Elias Nassim
Object numberAF-X2023.3080
DescriptionLarge right scroll bracket. It is one piece of wood. It is chamfered along both front edges. Both ends have a rosette centered in the scroll end and a flower and pistols (3) motif. There are two modern through bolts 7 1/2' on center through the width of the piece.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.
