Composition Mould
OriginEngland or America
MediumCompo (usually a combination of hide glue, pine rosin, chalk, and linseed oil); Wood
DimensionsRelief: 13" (L) x 5/8" (W) x 1/4" (deep). The segments measure 3/4" on center along the length. Base: 17 3/4" (L) x 3 3/4" (W) x 1/2" (T).
Credit LineGift of Mr. & Mrs. Elias Nassim
Object numberAF-X2023.3480
DescriptionIt is a long, skinny compo relief depicting a leaf and berry motif. There are 18 1/2 leaf and berry segments. It is applied to a single wooden 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.
