I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream

Pictured above is a pewter ice cream mold. Molded ice cream was a popular treat in the U.S. from the 1870s to 1950s, with a boom in ice cream consumption driving increases in mold manufacturing between 1921 and 1925. The Eighteenth Amendment, prohibiting the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages from 1920 until it was repealed in 1933, sparked an increase in consumer demand for such things as soft drinks, ice cream, and confections. Ice cream consumption increased by over 100 million gallons between 1921 and 1929.

The witch mold was manufactured by Eppelsheimer & Co. of New York, one of the three largest American ice cream mold manufacturers at the time. These hinged molds, dating from the 1920s and 30s, while still functional, can no longer be used due to the lead content in the pewter.

Individual molded ice creams would be served on special occasions or holidays, such as Halloween. As American holidays became more commercialized in the early 20th century, the demand for variety in ice cream molds increased. However, technological advancements in ice cream manufacturing, the development of ice cream novelties such as the Eskimo Pie and the Popsicle, and the advent of packaged ice creams available in groceries, transformed ice cream in the eye of the American public from a seasonal or specialty dish into an everyday treat. As such, molded ice creams fell out of fashion by the 1950s.

This witch-shaped pewter ice cream mold was one of 14 ice cream molds donated to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in 1972 by the wholesale distribution company Foremost-McKesson Inc. of San Francisco. It is not currently on display. Others in the museum's collection include a butterfly, a dolphin, a lion, as well as patriotic symbols such as an eagle, Uncle Sam, the Liberty Bell and George Washington in profile.