Petite Antique Sicilian Handmade Terracotta Pastry Mold w/ Pear Motif - 3½"

This early 20th-century Sicilian terracotta pastry mold is hand formed with a softly irregular, rounded shape and carved with a pear motif, designed so the fruit would appear in raised relief when the confection was unmolded. The piece is glazed all over in a warm honey-to-straw tone, with the glaze appearing more irregular along the exterior, where thinning, pooling, and firing marks reveal the handmade process. Three simple feet lift the mold slightly, allowing it to sit level when filled so fruit pastes could dry evenly and retain a clean, well-defined form. Traditionally used for shaping marzipan-like sweets and fruit pastes in Sicilian village workshops, it survives in good, timeworn condition with gentle rim wear, glaze variations, and surface marks consistent with age and use, each detail adding to its singular, utilitarian charm.

Display it on a plate rack or hang it with other molds to create a quietly sculptural wall in the kitchen. It also works as a shallow catchall on a console for keys or by the stove for salt or herbs.