Butter mould and butter stamp

Shaping and decorating butter

A butter mould gives butter a particular shape. A butter stamp, or a carved part of the mould, impresses a pattern. These tools belong to butter preparation and presentation, rather than merely serving as a flat support.

Different constructions

Some moulds consist of several detachable pieces; others have a plunger pushed through a container. The carving produces a corresponding impression in the butter. Nordfjord Folk Museum's interpretation on Kringom also shows butter vessels with patterns inside their lids. This is a related use, but not the same construction as every separate plunger mould.

Not exclusively Norwegian

Butter moulds occur in several countries' traditions. The Metropolitan Museum, for example, holds an American mould from about 1790 with an artichoke design. A wooden mould with a rosette or plant ornament should therefore not be called Norwegian merely because its pattern looks familiar.

What should be recorded?

Photograph the exterior, internal carving, joints, stamp and every detachable part. Note whether the parts fit together and whether carved dates or initials survive. Keep documented ownership history separate from assumptions about the place of manufacture.

Examine cracks, insect damage, repairs and recent surface treatment. Do not use an old collectable for food or a trial impression to check its design. Browse our wooden objects category.

Sources

Nordfjord Folk Museum via Kringom, Lex on butter moulds and Metropolitan Museum mould 34.100.59.