Large long life cake mould

Early 20th century

• fruit tree
• 250mm wide x 125mm deep x 20mm high

The mould is in the shape of a peach. Peaches are a symbol of long life. This symbolism stems from the legend of Xiwang Mu, or Queen Mother of the West, who lived in the mountains and had a peach orchard where the trees took 3,000 years to mature and the fruit another 3,000 years to ripen. Whoever was invited to eat the fruit would live for over 1,000 years. There is a long life character “shou” carved on the mould reinforcing the longevity symbolism.