In a House Divided, 1850-1890
Objects Agate ware cake mold, 1880-1910
Agate ware cake mold, 1880-1910

Made by Lalance & Grosjean Mfg. Co., New York, Chicago, and Boston
Iron, porcelain enamel

Lalance and Grosjean Mfg. Co. was one the first American companies to make porcelain enamelwares. These wares offered a cheaper, lighter alternative to cast-iron cookware. Most makers of porcelain enamelwares marked their products with a paper label that quickly washed off. Lalance & Grosjean marked their earlier wares with the blue, burned-in enamel brand seen on this piece. "Agate Ware," their brand name, became so widely used that it served as a generic name for all enamelware. This is called a "Turk's Head" cake mold because of its similarity to the shape of a turban. The spout in the middle helped to distribute the heat to the center of the cake as it baked.

Illinois State Museum purchase (1992.38)



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