This is a two-part cast-metal mould used for making artificial flowers and leaves. The material would be soaked, and then placed in one part of the mould and the second part of the mould added with weight or pressure to force the material into shape. A felt buffer might be used to avoid destroying lighter, more fragile materials. Heat and starch helped permanently set the moulding. The results would then be used for trimming dresses and hats; or for other purposes requiring artificial flowers.

The production of artificial flowers was a highly skilled industry before industrial mass-production made it possible to produce large numbers of artificial flowers and leaves at minimal expense. Similar historic moulds are now more typically used by artisans working on an individual basis, or by smaller workshops working along traditional lines.