Composition Mould
OriginEngland or America
MediumBoxwood; Wood
DimensionsCarving: 13 5/8" (L) x 5/8" (H) x 1/8" (D). Boxwood insert: 14 3/4" (L) x 15/16" (W) x 7/16" (T). Base: 14 3/4" (L) x 4 7/16" (W) x 1 1/4" (T).
Credit LineGift of Mr. & Mrs. Elias Nassim
Object numberAF-X2023.3486
DescriptionIt is a skinny linear length of fluting that is carved into a boxwood strip. The strip is set into a three-piece wood base. There is compo residue on both upper base pieces against the outer edges of the carving. There are 83 short and narrow flutes 3/32" (W) x 5/8" (H).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.
