A Delightful Decoration: Jelly Core Molds in the Georgian Tablescape

By Rachael Kane, ’22

This video explores the physical presence of an early nineteenth-century ceramic jelly mold, both as a crafted object and as an important aspect of the table settings used by wealthy British citizens during the Georgian era. Part of the tradition of the Staffordshire potteries, this object tells stories of foodways, interior dining room decoration, and the continued expansion of the British empire. These objects were often visual focal points of a meal. James Woodforde, a country parson and author, found these jelly core molds to be a point of conversation and wonder, as he observed in his diary on March 28, 1782: this “new device… brought from London” was “a very pretty pyramid of Jelly in the Centre [of the table].” They added a whimsical jiggle to the interior decoration, bringing amusement and visual interest into the space. These jellies were also a luxury item and a mark of prestige. They served to highlight the success and growth of the British empire, emphasizing Britain’s domestic industries and growing imperial reach. The use of decorative jellies continued to spread, eventually becoming popular in Europe and the United States. 

Jelly Core Mold, enameled creamware with lead glaze, English, Wedgwood Co., 1802-1818. Winterthur Museum, 1975.0039 A+B.

Sources and Further Reading: 

Barker, David. “Producing for the Table: A View from the Staffordshire Potteries.” In Table Settings: The Material Culture and Social Context of Dining, AD 1700-1900, edited by James Symonds, 6-20. Oxford: Oxbow Books, 2010. 

Brears, Peter. Jellies and their Moulds. London: Prospect Books, 2010.

Glasse, Hannah. The Art of Cookery, made Plain and Easy. London: L. Wangford, 1747. 

Jocelyn, Robert. Dinner Book. Ireland: 1740-1751. 

Kay, Emma. Dining with the Georgians: A delicious history. Gloustershire: Amberley Publishing, 2014. 

Prasch, Thomas. “Eating the World: London in 1851.” Victorian Literature and Culture 36, no. 2 (2008): 587-602. Accessed February 5, 2021. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40347206.

Raffald, Elizabeth. The Experienced English Housekeeper. London: R. Baldwin, 1786. 

Young, Linda. “Gentility: A Historical Context for the Material Culture of the Table in the ‘Long 19^th Century’, 1780-1915.” In Table Settings: The Material Culture and Social Context of Dining, AD 1700-1900, edited by James Symonds, 133-143. Oxford: Oxbow Books, 2010.