ANTON REICHE - Marzipan Molds

Collectors of confectionary molds know that German manufacturer Anton Reiche is the Holy Grail.   His ice cream, chocolate and marzipan molds from the late 1800s to the early 1900s are the most sought after and valuable molds of the many manufacturers of that time period because of the detail in their workmanship.   That's why I was so excited last year to have found this product brochure from the Anton Reiche company (ca. 1880) on German eBay last year.   It was incorrectly placed and badly described, so I was hopeful no other collectors would find it.  Nonetheless, I was prepared to bid 500 Euros -- and at the end won it for 40!  When it arrived I was surprised to see it is printed on the thinnest tissue paper imaginable with a lovely yellow background (hard to see in the photo).  Amazing that it is intact with no rips or tears.  I can imagine only a handful of these survived as they are so delicate.  It measures 26" x 30" when open and is printed on both sides.   The front side is overprinted in red with "Metall Patent Marzipan Formen, Anton Reiche, Dresden-Plauen.   And on both the front and back are pictured the company's product offerings of the most amazing marzipan molds, size and price of each. 
 

The Reiche firm was founded in 1870, and its production facilities in Plauen employed 1,800 workers at the turn of the century.  

 

---

You can see why the molds are so sought after.  The detail is amazing!

 

 

There is a mold for almost every animal and bird imaginable.

---

All molds pictured on the Anton Reiche brochure are produced in what are called "book molds" which are hinged in the center.  I had three Anton Reiche book molds packed away in my "antique cupboard" in the garage for years thinking -- incorrectly -- that they were chocolate molds.  They quickly made their way back into my kitchen, and I'm thrilled to have at least a few Reiche marzipan molds, even though not elaborate examples. 

 

This shows the marzipan mold closed.  It is incised on the top with the mold number.  The back is incised with "Anton Reiche, Dresden."

 

---