Franklin Mint Jelly Molds

At the end of May, I started second hand shopping once things started opening up. And boy, did it feel good! I honestly missed it. While shopping ones day, I spotted a Franklin mint jelly mold set and can I tell you- I was a smitten kitten! They were hanging on the wall and looked adorable. One was chipped so I didn’t get it. But I couldn’t get them out of my mind!

The set I saw was $55 so I started searching for similar options on Etsy and eBay and used that price as a reference point. They sell for around $25 each one online. Hmmmmm, too expensive for my frugal taste. Then I saw a whole set of 5 on shopgoodwill.com for $40 shipped. SOLD! I ordered those so fast!

what is a Franklin Mint Jelly Mold?

In 1986 the Le Cordon Bleu company created Franklin Mint Jelly molds. These were made in Thailand. They are porcelain and hand painted. The molds have a fruit, vegetable, or animal design. They have a hole for hanging. Here’s some in depth information I found from this customs ruling in case you want to geek out with me-

detailed information

a picture of the 1988 brochure!

The molds were sold as a collection by mail order subscription. The subscription included a series of six molds, with each mold priced at $37.50. One mold was delivered every other month. Each mold came with a certificate of authenticity and a specially designed Cordon Bleu recipe.

The literature stated that each mold was inspired by a different Le Cordon Bleu recipe. For example, the goose mold comes with a recipe for duck pate with prunes and the lemon mold comes with a recipe for lemon custard.

The literature emphasized the decorative aspects of the articles. Each mold was described as an “original work of art sculptured and painted by hand – in the authentic French tradition.” The authentic tradition refers to the sculptured molds displayed in the great country homes of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

The colored photographs on the original brochure show the series of six molds displayed in an arrangement on a dining room or kitchen wall in a French country setting. The accompanying literature states that the collection “will brighten the decor of every home, from country to contemporary.”

A letter from the president of Le Cordon Bleu de Paris, a leading authority on culinary arts, states that the culinary institute joined with The Franklin Mint in presenting the porcelain mold collection. The letter states that, with the enclosed recipe, the purchaser “can actually use and enjoy these splendid works of art . . . when they’re not being admired on the walls!”

more information

I’ve also seen these referred to as jello molds. Coming from a family who ate jello regularly, I understand that better. Now that I have these, maybe I’ll have to make some fancy jello. Who wants to come over?!

When these were manufactured, Le Cordon Bleu also make decorative jelly jars too.

The Franklin Mint Molds came in a TON of styles! Here’s a glimpse of 20 of them!

I had a hard time finding a picture of these on display, but I did find one-

Very country and sweet. I will admit to being jealous of this collection- ha! I

‘ll share links on where you can buy them and how I decorated with mine.

WHERE DO I BUY these?

The easiest place to buy them is on Etsy or eBay. You can also see if shopgoodwill.com has any. Right now there’s a cute set available here for pretty cheap!

You can always keep an eye out when thrifting or antiquing. Who knows, they might be easy to spot!

I searched and found a bunch of patterns available on Etsy and eBay linked below!

HOW TO DISPLAY FRANKLIN MINT JELLY MOULDS

I think the best way to display these cuties is by hanging them in a kitchen or dining room. I thought the pastel colors would look cute integrated in my gallery wall above the seating area in my kitchen. Here’s the wall I wanted to change up-

Ready to see the Franklin jelly molds I got online?! Here they are! I got the lemon (my favorite), bunny, asparagus, blackberry, and goose.

Next, I pulled down the art I was tired of and hung the molds! Want to see how they went up? How about a gif?!

I think the molds add some great shape and interest to the wall. The dimension and detail to them looks so fun next to the art! I have that old chimney in the wall that’s a little funky, but I still love how this came out!

Here’s the finished wall! I really like it. Something I love about vintage stuff is it’s relatively affordable, while adding age and character. These touches are what make a house a home.

As I was cleaning these up and hanging them I kept thinking about the sweet lady who had these in her home for 30+ years. I bet they were loved. And now I’ll continue to love them!

I think from this angle, you can see the interest they add to the wall. I keep staring at them. I’m pretty happy with them! And now that I know that there’s SO many varieties, I can keep adding to my collection. What do you think- are you a fan or too 80’s for you?

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