Food Molds--Not Just For Chocolate!

Do you love chocolate or just the unique shapes chocolates come in? Food molds have over the past year become a very popular item to collect. Not only for their increasing value as a collectable antique, but because they also invoke wonderful childhood memories. Memories of the festive chocolate Santas that might have appeared in Christmas stockings, or the scrumptious coconut lamb cake that would be served at the end of an Easter Day meal. Food molds were also used to shape every day type foods such as puddings, sweetmeats, jellies, and butter.

A Little History

Antique chocolate molds have been around since the mid 1800s. Most were produced in Germany and Belgium. Food molds are very functional and can be used to make beeswax and chalk figures, as well as chocolate and other confections. In the mid 1930’s food molds were starting to be produced in plastic, and were being made in the United States as well as Japan. They were much cheaper to purchase, and easier to clean and store.

Confection molds were made of several different materials; cast iron, tin, copper, stoneware, and pewter. They came in a variety of shapes and sizes. As a rule, animals, festive holiday figures, fruit shapes, and many more. The molds were used to give decorative shapes to ice cream, chocolates, cakes, and flavored sugars, such as maple sugar.

Today, molds have become very much sought after, and used mainly as a decorative item in the home. A variety of molds can still be found in antique shops, garage sales and flea markets. Over the past year the prices are rising, so it would appear to be an opportune time to purchase molds if you fancy them. Perhaps start a holiday tradition in your own home with a well chosen candy or cake mold. A collage of food molds make a wonderful addition to a kitchen wall, as well as a place to show off your unique collection.

The following food molds can be found for auction on Old And Sold:
- Victorian Pudding Mold
- German Copper Bread/Cake Mold
- Wooden Butter Press
- Antique Jelly Mold
- Set of Eight Squirrel Chocolate Molds