by Carrie Blough
Chip-carved from pine, walnut or butternut trees, decorative butter prints and molds are vestiges of the past that illustrate the care and consideration that went into something as commonplace as butter. Prints and molds delivered a small bit of charm along with butter—the ever-important household staple.
Used to make whimsical impressions on butter, these tools came in three forms. Prints, the most common butter marker, were used to press a design onto the tops of jars. Molds were two-piece cases that both created a design and measured a portion of butter, usually a pound, while plungers impressed the design and pushed it out of the case.
Print designs ranged from patriotic eagles to Pennsylvania German motifs including tulips, flowers, hearts and geometric designs. Stars, cows, strawberries and wheat are other common motifs. Farmers selling their wares had their own unique designs so that customers would recognize their preferred butter—a sort of butter brand. Fanciful yet practical, butter prints and molds were made by local craftsmen and, by the mid-19th century, in factories as well.