I'm not at all a connoisseur of carved wood molds and prints for cookies and cakes and butter, but I've been keeping a close eye out for ones to fall in love with, and I'm completely in love with this one, which I believe would be used for pressing patterns into speculaas springerle cookies. One one side, this wonderful leaping dog, but it's the flip side that is the really special one to me, carved with a wonderfully primitive figure with Happy New Year (carved backwards to read forwards) arching across one long side of the almond shape. The carver ran out of room near the end, so the YEA of year is a bit crunched, and then the "R" snuck in, much smaller, just above. So good, and with an irregular form to the whole thing and a terrific patina. 19th c. I'm sure, and I might think more toward the early side.
Approx 6 1/8" x 4 7/16" x 7/8". Very good condition. The wood on the dog side is a bit lighter in color; I assume to it being displayed with that side facing for a good number of years.
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