Chocolate on the Brain

Since Halloween is nearly here, I have chocolate on the brain, which reminded me of my small collection of vintage chocolate molds. I have a deep familiarity with chocolate because I worked with it as a career for nearly 25 years. I had the good fortune of learning the pastry world from the ground up, first in restaurants and hotels, and later in a fine pastry shop. I even made truffles in my home kitchen for several Christmases in a row and sold them to chocolate-craving clients. Made for a messy kitchen and a crowded fridge, so I eventually had to quit.

But back to the molds.  I've never used any of them and only have four, but they are fun to see, so I thought I'd show them off.   

                          

  VINTAGE CHOCOLATE MOLDS                                                                                           

The largest is French and is made of coated cast iron. Each of the 60 tiny bars reads Garanti Pur, which translates as Guaranteed Pure.

The second largest is also coated cast iron. It contains 28 discs each with the name Wilbur, a 145 year old company still located in Pennsylvania.

The oblong one on the bottom, coated cast iron as well, is German, with three oval baskets. These molds would have been coated with chocolate and filled later as desired. When unscrewed at each end, it opens to release the baskets.

The tin figurine is Santa, also German and  made to be coated as a hollow shell. When the three little tabs, one on top and the other two on the sides, are removed , it too opens to release Santa.    

As a  final note, being a true chocoholic, I love how chocolate is pronounced in other languages. Right click to open a new window and hear it for yourself in:

FRENCH     GERMAN      ITALIAN     JAPANESE       SPANISH   

What Do You Think This Is?

It is a little object of mine that I find quite intriguing. Made of cast iron, it is quite heavy for its small size. I believe it came from an old bed frame. The little doll's head was added later by someone who had a lot of imagination! Now it has become the logo for my shop on Ruby Lane.

By the way, the shop's name is a combination of family names, that of my grandmother, mother, and sister. It has an old-fashioned feel  to it, appropriate for a shop selling vintage items, don't you agree?

Addendum:
Alice-Marie Vintage is now closed.

Please stop by Autena on Etsy to browse all things vintage.

Birth of a Blog

I grew up in a museum. At least, that is what relatives and friends used to say about my family’s home. The house was full of fabulous interesting items, amassed through the years. Truly it was a magical visual atmosphere, which allowed for the viewer’s imagination to bubble forth. Thus was nurtured my passion for collecting—holding on to heirlooms and scouring markets of all sorts for whatever held my fancy at the time.

I'm here to share with you those treasures and trinkets, as well as others I come across in my daily travels....or maybe just ruminations, information, observations, or whatever else strikes my fancy.

                                             GLOVES in A VENICE SHOP

So please stay tuned while I set up shop here and thanks for dropping by.

Come and visit my online vintage shop to find eclectic, extraordinary, and exotic things from the past:

Autena on Etsy