Bidspirit auction | 18th Century Style Hand Carved

18th Century Style Hand Carved Wooden Figural Gingerbread Mold - A large figural cookie or gingerbread mold, hand carved from a single block of dark-toned hardwood. The mold features a deeply recessed relief of a woman in elaborate 18th-century European costume, possibly representing traditional Dutch or German regional attire. The figure is depicted holding a large, pleated fan in her right hand and a single flower in her left. She wears a bodice decorated with intricate floral scrollwork, a tiered and pleated skirt, and a distinctive winged lace cap. The lower section of the dress is finished with a wide border of large floral and foliate motifs. The reverse of the block shows a hand-hewn, irregular textured surface. A small brass-colored metal plate is affixed to the back, featuring an impressed number 6 at the top, the stamped numbers 131 and 4080, and the name KERZEN flanking a circular logo containing a stylized sun or flower, followed by the script name Wesely. The mold measures approximately 15 1/8 inches in height and 5 5/8 inches in width. The wooden block exhibits a significant vertical crack extending from the bottom edge through the lower third of the carved figure (photos 1, 3, and 7). There is notable loss to the wood and rounding at the bottom corners and edges (photo 3). The surface shows scattered abrasions, small indentations, and light residue consistent with age and functional use (photos 2 and 6). The metal plate on the reverse shows minor oxidation (photo 5).