Composition Mould

MediumWood

DimensionsBase = 12 7/8" (L) x 4 15/16" (W) x 3/8" (T) and the lower end is burned away. Leaf = 11" (L) x 2 1/4" (W) x 3/16" (D) in main body and the tip is 1 3/16" (W) x 3/4" (D).

Credit LineGift of Mr. & Mrs. Elias Nassim

Object numberAF-X2023.3084

DescriptionIt is a long acanthus leaf relief with evidence of fire damage. The wooden relief is glued to the wooden base (not carved from it). There are 8 sets of double lobes with a stem running through the middle and the lower set is missing due to the fire.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.