Copper Jelly Mould ‘Castellated’

Victorian

Circa mid to late 19th century | England

An antique copper jelly mould decorated with a castellated design representing the turrets of a castle. The mould is unmarked but with all the hallmarks of a Benham & Froud mould, such as the quality of the design and the heaviness of the mould (see The Gen). 

DIMENSIONS: Diameter 13.3 cm, Height 11cm.

SIGNATURES, MARKINGS & INSCRIPTIONS: Unmarked.

CONDITION: In good condition, wear consistent with an antique age and use. There are some repairs to the mould.

All my antique copper comes in as found ‘unrestored’ condition with the years of history retained in the lovely patina created by surface marks made by ordinary kitchen use. The choice then becomes yours whether to have the item polished, or the tin relined, and a decorative item can once more become a treasured new kitchen utensil to be loved and used by a new gen. At times an item may already have been lovingly polished by a previous owner and the copper will show off its rosy glow. Whether polished or not, the patina adds to the history of the item and wonder of the stories it could tell.

REFERENCES: See a group lot of similar Benham & Froud moulds that was auctioned at Christie’s on 24 May 2017, Lot 269.

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THE GEN

“The food mold was not produced by a specialist trade until 1824, and throughout the nineteenth century, the finest molds available in America were made in England by such firms as Benham and Froud of London, or Ash Brothers and Heaton of Birmingham. These molds were technically superior in a variety of ways. Firstly, they were made of copper, which excelled in its ability to transfer heat and cold evenly. Secondly, the copper used was quite heavy. Thirdly, they were usually spun.” (Dining in America 1850–1900, Kathryn Grover, The University of Massachusetts Press, 1987, pp 55–56)

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