GRAPE DESIGN Antique Ironstone Oval Mold Circa Late 19th Century

This lovely white ironstone ‘jelly’ mould (British spelling) or mold would be a welcome piece to anyone’s collection or added to a fun design element to a vintage or antique display.

The 6 ⅞" by 5 ¼” OVAL MOLD measures 3 ⅝" high. The design of the inner mold is a geo-metric shape with a GRAPE CLUSTER design in the center, while the outside of the mold is smooth. The bottom of the mold is inverted. With the grape cluster design, this piece most likely was used for a type of fruit aspic or jelly.

The mold is in good condition for its age. There is a ⅛" glaze pop on the rim and a hairline crack in the glaze inside the mold. Since it does not appear to go through to the ceramic so may be a crazing. Refer to last image.

Ironstone molds became popular in America with the arrival of ironstone white china dinner sets and table wares in the middle to the late 1800s. They were more affordable than the earlier and more expensive molds made of copper or pewter.

Cooks used the molds in potted meat, pate and aspic recipes to prepare grains, fruits, vegetables, seafoods and meats for molding—with the gelatin made from animals being the most often used binding element. For fruit, cooks used pectin, a jelling agent found in certain ripe fruits, for forming jams and jellies.