Composition Mould
OriginEngland or America
MediumCompo (usually a combination of hide glue, pine rosin, chalk, and linseed oil); Pine
DimensionsBase = 16 1/8" (L) x 5" (W) x 3/8" (T). Relief = 12 1/8" (L) x 2 3/4" (W) x 3/16" (T)
Credit LineGift of Mr. & Mrs. Elias Nassim
Object numberAF-X2023.3087
DescriptionIt is a compo repeat of leaf and berry motif with 10 rows. It has 4 leaves and 5 berries per row. The berries are painted black for accent. The composite is affixed onto a wood board.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.
