Molds, Molds and even more Ceramic Molds

Dogwood Ceramic Supply offers new ceramic molds from all of the top ceramic mold manufacturers. Ceramic molds are manufactured from USG #1 Pottery Plaster as #1 Pottery Plaster yields a denser, more durable ceramic mold with better casting characteristics than less expensive grades of plaster. Because the ceramic molds are manufactured from a plaster product the ceramic molds are often referred to as "plaster molds". While the descriptive phrase "plaster molds" is technically correct, the phrase "plaster molds" is used in various other art and industrial medias, often meaning a mold used to cast plaster products. And then there are different grades of plaster which just adds to the confusion over the use of "plaster molds".

To be clear, Dogwood Ceramic Supply is selling ceramic plaster molds manufactured from #1 Pottery Plaster used specifically to cast (pour) a clay based slip requiring firing in a kiln to temperatures of 2000°F or higher. While our industry refers to these molds as "ceramic molds" a better term for this product would be "slip casting molds" as these molds are used to cast earthenware (ceramic slip), terra cotta, stoneware and porcelain slips.

Dogwood Ceramic Supply stocks a huge selection of molds for clay specifically for working with moist clay, but many of these pottery molds can also be used for slip casting as well. For the convenience of our customers, Dogwood Ceramic Supply maintains a limited selection of popular slip casting molds in stock, including a selection of regional favorites. In addition mold straps plus the always popular rubber bands for ceramic molds are always in stock.

For a small charge, printed ceramic mold catalogs are sold by Dogwood Ceramic Supply to support the sales of molds from various manufacturers. Please be advised most of the catalogs list are in limited supply and will not be reprinted when supplies are depleted.

Clay Magic Inc is a ceramic mold manufacturer with a wide selection of decorative items. Clay Magic Mold Company specializes in seasonal items and cute collectibles, including teddy bears and is one of the most active mold companies in the industry producing new designs every month of the year. Clay Magic Molds also include a limited selection of TL Designs as the TL Design Mold Company was once part of Clay Magic Molds.

Creative Paradise is the home of Kimple Molds. Creative Paradise is a ceramic mold manufacturer with a very wide variety of highly detailed molds. Janet and Ron Kimple retired at the end of 2000 and Kimple Mold Co. continues today as Creative Paradise. Creative Paradise mold lines include TL Designs and large portions of the retired ceramic mold companies Provincial, Byron and Mike's molds as well as the classic Kimple ceramic molds. In recent years Creative Paradise has diversified their offerings with a wide selection of pottery molds suitable for use by the hobby and professional potter.

Doc Holliday Molds Inc is a ceramic mold manufacturer that specializes in highly detailed figurines, selection ranges from carousel horses to dragons, angels, chess sets and animals. The Doc Holliday Mold lines include Gold Rush Molds, Tampa Bay Molds and PK Molds. Doc Holliday is the process of moving to a smaller location and must eliminate many older molds to make room. Molds below item #2000 are scheduled for discontinuation.

Magnolia Molds is Mississippi's own ceramic mold manufacturer with what may be the largest selection of functional (dinnerware) items in the world and of course Magnolia Flowers! Magnolia Molds also produces custom molds from original sculptural artwork.

Riverview Molds is a ceramic mold manufacturer that specializes on molds designed for the ease of casting with few attachments and line of very unique one piece (open pour) magnet molds. Ross Molds was purchased by Riverview Molds. The nativity set from Riverview Molds comes in 4 sizes and especially easy to cast.

Starlite Molds produces molds for retired ceramic mold companies as well as discontinued ceramic molds from Clay Magic. There are no new designs originating from these retired mold companies and the selection of molds may be limited. Retired mold companies include Alberta Molds, Duncan Molds, Dona's Molds, Made-in-Fire Molds, Scioto Molds and TL Designs.

Wagon Wheel Molds is a Louisiana based ceramic mold manufacturer that produces a line of Press Molds for use with moist clay by potters and ceramists as well as specific casting molds that are popular with local customers.

White Horse Molds is a ceramic mold company with many classic designs of molds. The White Horse Mold catalog is out of print and the manufacturer does not have a website. Please visit The Showroom at Dogwood Ceramic Supply for additional information about White Horse Molds.

For more information about any of the mold companies that we represent, follow the handy links on the manufacturer links page.

Dogwood Ceramic Supply has developed ceramic mold policies which allow us to continue to provide ceramic molds in the most cost effective manner to our customers. These policies are needed to better handle the sky rocketing freight charges as well as changes in minimum order requirements implemented by various mold manufacturers.

1. Dogwood Ceramic Supply stocks a huge selection of pottery molds for working with moist clay as well as a limited selection of popular slip casting molds. The molds are stocked for the convenience of our customers and are sold at standard retail prices unless otherwise indicated. Standard retail prices may include an appropriate adjustment for inbound freight costs. Please refer to the respective manufacturer web pages to view the entire selection of mold designs.

3)    Dogwood Ceramic Supply offers two levels of service for ordered molds:
            A) Rush Service
            B) Economy Service.

4) Discounts on Ceramic Molds are available, based upon the quantity of molds purchased and the service desired.

Customers needing molds as within a specific period of time should specify Rush Service. Rush Service is the fast level of service possible without regards to the cost of the service.

1) Customers desiring Rush Service must specify RUSH SERVICE at the time of the order.

2) Ceramic Molds will be ordered from the manufacturer and shipped via UPS. Production times vary with each manufacturer. Customers needing multiple copies of a mold should allow sufficient manufacturing time.

3) Ceramic Molds will be shipped from the manufacturer's location and may be shipped to Dogwood or may be shipped directly to the customer. Molds shipped to the customer's location are subject to manufacturer limitations and restrictions.

4) Most ceramic mold manufacturers will add substantial handling charges to their UPS shipments. These handling charges may increase when molds are shipped direct to the customer.

5) Manufacturer's handling charges as well as all UPS charges are the responsibility of the customer.

Customers seeking the lowest possible cost without regards to the promptness of the delivery of their mold order should request Economy Service.

1) To keep prices as low as possible, Economy Service does not provide scheduled service dates or specific intervals between orders for delivery of molds. Customers must understand that they may wait several months for an order or as little as a couple of weeks.

2) Some manufacturers offer "freight free shipments" on large orders to the distributors. Other manufacturers offer a freight allowance or a fixed freight charge. DCS will make a reasonable attempt to hold mold orders from these brands to meet the most practical freight requirements. Freight charges, if appropriate, will be added to all mold purchases.

3) Dogwood Ceramic Supply will hold Economy Service mold orders for the benefit of our large established production and export customers.

4) Dogwood Ceramic Supply will not notify customers prior to placing mold orders with the manufacturers. When we are ready, the mold orders will be placed.

6) Mold orders may not be cancelled. Once the order has been placed with the manufacturer there cannot be any add-ons or cancellations.

7) If the molds must be shipped to the customer Dogwood will notify the customer so that color products can be combined with the mold orders to economize the freight costs.

8) Please do not call to check when a mold order will be placed or the status of your order as there is no set schedule and mold orders will be placed without advanced notice. If you require delivery within a specific period of time, Dogwood Ceramic Supply strongly recommends that you specify Rush Service.

Discounts on Ceramic Molds are available for economy service mold orders and the discounts available are based upon the brands of molds and quantity ordered. In the simplest terms the greater the volume ordered, the greater the discount available.

**Discounts**
Group 1		Group 2		Group 3		Group 4

Clay Magic		Doc Holliday		Starlite		Whitehorse
Creative Paradise		Magnolia
		Riverview
		Wagon Wheel

$150	15%	$150	15%	$250	15%
$300	30%	$300	30%	$500	30%
$750	35%	$750	35%	$1000	35%	$1000	30%
$1500	40%	$1500	40%	$2000	40%	$2000	40%

The Mold Companies in bold print (Clay Magic, Creative Paradise, Magnolia, Riverview, Doc Holliday and Wagon Wheel) are active mold companies that continue to produce new and exciting designs of molds. For more information about any of the mold companies that we represent follow the handy links on the manufacturer links page.

Economy Service includes all applicable freight charges for delivery to Dogwood Ceramic Supply.
Appropriate discounts apply to molds purchased from a single mold manufacturer.

Inbound freight charges will apply. The amount of freight will vary according to the total weight of the order. Freight charges will be pro-rated between all customers.
Appropriate discounts apply to molds purchased from a single mold manufacturer.

All brands of molds produced by Starlite can be combined for the appropriate discount.
Inbound freight charge is fixed at 12% of the retail price of the molds.

    White Horse molds are exceptionally heavy and the freight costs can be 50% or more of the cost of the molds.
    Freight will be pro-rated between customer orders.
    Absolute minimum order accepted is $250.

    Ceramic Molds are warranted by the manufacturer to be free of defect and suitable for casting ceramic ware. All claims for defective molds or for molds which are internally damaged must be filed within 15 days of the date of sale.
    Defective or internally damaged molds will be replaced with an identical mold AFTER the original (damaged) has been returned to the selling distributor or manufacturer. The replacement mold will be replaced by the same means (shipped or store pickup) as the original mold.
    Transportation costs to return the damaged mold to the selling distributor is the responsibility of the customer.
    The mold manufacturer is not responsible for damage that may occur to the exterior of the ceramic mold.
    The warranty does not cover ceramic molds that have been cast (used) so please inspect the interior prior to the first casting.

Printed Ceramic Mold Catalogs have been traditionally sold by the various Mold Manufacturers to support the sales of their molds. Because internet based catalogs can be more easily updated, most Mold Manufacturers are transitioning from print catalogs to internet based catalogs. For customers seeking traditional print catalogs, Dogwood Ceramic Supply offers an extensive selection of informative literature and manufacturer catalogs. Please be advised, most of the catalogs list below are in limited supply and will not be reprinted when supplies are depleted.

**Ceramic Mold Catalogs**
			Item	Price
			Alberta Mold Catalog	$8.50
			Creative Paradise Super Mold Catalog	$8.50
			Doc Holliday Mold Catalog on CD	$6.50
			Doc Holliday Mold Catalog (print)	$10.50
			Dona's Mold Catalog (includes Made-In-Fire Catalog)	9.50
			Duncan-Scioto Mold Catalog	$8.50
			Duncan Classics Mold Catalog	$8.50
			Riverview Mold Catalog	$7.00
			Ross Mold Catalog	$4.00
			Scioto Classics Mold Catalog	$9.50

Please note, the Gare Mold Catalog is out of print and out of stock at both Gare and Dogwood Ceramic Supply.

Item	Price
Creative Paradise Handbuilding Catalog	$2.00
Duncan Color Guide	$4.00
Duncan Colorworks Color Guide	NC
Kemper Tool Catalog	NC
Paragon Kiln Catalog	NC
Spectrum Color Flyer (s)	NC

Because internet based catalogs can be more easily updated, most manufacturers are transitioning from print catalogs to internet based catalogs. Dogwood Ceramic Supply continues to offers a limited selection of equipment catalogs for customers seeking traditional print catalogs.

The No Charge Catalogs (NC) are available in Dogwood Ceramic Supply's showroom and may be added to any purchase of other goods shipped via UPS to the customer.

All of the ceramic molds in stock for sale at Dogwood Ceramic Supply are kept on a separate webpage. Substantial discounts are available on the limited selection of new molds.

Dogwood Ceramic Supply, like every other Gare Distributor, was well aware of Gare's intent to get out of the mold business. Starting in the late 90's Gare started to produce fewer new mold designs each year and discontinued a larger number of molds than what had been released in the past year. Their intentions should have been quite clear to everybody. When the final discontinuation notice was issued it came as a shock to absolutely no one.

The actual announcement concerning Gare Molds was made on December 1, 2005. With that announcement, Gare ceased accepting orders for additional new molds. Yet, nearly 4 years later, every few days somebody will be looking for a Gare Mold, often claiming they did not know Gare was going to discontinue their molds. But, as we previously stated, Gare's decision to cease production of new molds should not have come as a surprise to anybody.

Please note, if Dogwood Ceramic Supply had any Gare Molds in stock they would be listed on our ceramic molds in stock web page. We don't, therefore there are no Gare Molds listed.

The simplest answer is NO. Copyrights, per Federal Law, generally survive the original author plus an additional 70 years after the author's death. Gare is still in business as of this writing so the countdown clock has yet to start ticking.

The same copyright rules apply to the other several hundred mold companies who have retired during the past couple decades.

Original works, i.e. items sculpted by the full time employees of a specific mold company and/or items commissioned by a specific mold company, are copyright protected. No debate.

Works of public domain, such as a 10" plain spherical object (a ball with no detail), are public domain and free to be copied. BUT, mold companies often registered their work and as such the mold of a public domain item may in fact be copyright protected. Just a little complex issue in that the item is not copyrighted but the mold producing the item is copyrighted.

To further complicate this issue, a mold company, upon their retirement or for any other reason, could have legally transferred the copyright to another mold company.

Bottom line, unless somebody is an attorney specializing in copyright law who has been paid to address the legalities of copying a specific item, the best advice is "do your own work" and ignore the works of others.

Since Gare is out of the mold business, is Dogwood Ceramic Supply selling off your used Gare ceramic molds?

Yes, from time to time Dogwood Ceramic Supply will sell a Gare mold as a used ceramic mold. Once in a blue moon.

Dogwood Ceramic Supply also sells used molds from other ceramic mold manufacturers. Once in a blue moon.

You won't find used ceramic molds listed on the website. WHEN we make the decision to sell a used ceramic mold, the mold is listed on a bulletin board in The Showroom. Our decision making process is complex. Most of the used molds listed for sale have only been cast 1-3 times. In most instances we quickly discovered the item was inappropriate for our showroom shelves. Maybe the item was too tall or too deep to fit the assigned space. Maybe the item was designed as a wall plaque, but needed to be laid flat for safe storage and didn't look appealing when laying flat on a display shelf. Maybe the item was too complex, too plain, too detailed, not detailed enough or any other combination of reasons. Bottom line the mold has had very few castings and is being retired from our product selection. Other used molds may have a few additional castings before the mold is retired from The Showroom. These more heavily used molds tend to be trendy items, popular today and worthless tomorrow.

Regardless of the number of castings on a used mold, the used ceramic molds will not be shipped to customers until they have been inspected by the buyer. Physically inspected by the buyer. No debating the quality or lack thereof of a used mold if the buyer has had a chance to actually inspect the used mold. Photographs never do a used mold justice so physically inspecting the used ceramic mold is especially important.

No. The bulletin board listing of all the used ceramic molds is posted in The Showroom for the convenience of in-store customers. Even if the telephone staff had ready access to the bulletin board, which they don't, the molds would not be sold until they have been inspected by the buyer.

The follow up question, can you tell me IF you might add a particular item to the used mold bulletin board, is not going to happen. The decision making process is complex, but one the decision to retire a mold has been made the mold is immediately added to the used mold bulletin board. If the item has not been added to the bulletin board then the mold for the item is not for sale.

Will you buy my group of used molds? Will you accept a donation of a group of used molds? What can I do with all my used molds?

Where do all these used molds originate? Usually it is Grandma's retired ceramic studio. Grandma retired the studio one day with the hopes of returning to her favorite hobby at a later date. Suddenly Grandma got a bit sick and the family placed her in a nursing home with the promise of never selling the molds from her studio. Then Grandma passes away to the great kiln in the sky. And the family is looking to sell of or dispose of her molds.

No, Dogwood Ceramic Supply will not buy your used molds. Nor will we accept your donation of used molds.

Why? In the simplest terms, Dogwood Ceramic Supply buys lots of new molds. Most importantly, the exact molds that we want. Buying groups of molds (either new or used) does not make much sense for any business because groups seldom contain desirable products. Even if the group of molds had a single desirable mold in the group, we would have already purchased the molds from the mold manufacturer so the "desirable" mold would be redundant.

What to do with the group of used molds? Landfill. Seriously. The amount of work required to process the molds into a reasonable list and market the molds is not worth the few pennies per mold the group of used molds will receive at auction.

But, you say, there are lots of old molds in the group. Great. Wonderful. If the mold was truly desirable we would already have it. Even a few "new" molds scattered throughout the group does little to impress us as we already have purchased that exact same mold. Even if we wanted to hold the new mold for resale it is most likely not practical or in great demand considering the huge variety of new molds we sell. Bottom line, undesirable new molds do us little good.

Selling the used molds as single items is generally more practical, but considering the work required to evaluate and process the group into sellable units is seldom worth the revenue than may be generated.

Donating the molds is a wonderful idea. Except most programs (senior citizen programs and the like) that would seem like an ideal candidate to accept donated used molds lack the facilities to handle the molds they currently have, much less make a room or two available for a truck load of additional molds. Worse, legally, once an item has been donated to the program it is difficult, if not impossible, to remove the undesirable item from their inventory. Bottom line, they don't want the donated used molds.

Oh, and if you think we are joking about the undesirability of groups of used molds, please consider the actions of one of our competitors. The competitor, when he retired and sold the building that housed his business, kept the used carpeting from the showroom floor but left behind the used molds. Used carpeting has a higher value than a group of used ceramic molds? We heard from the buyer of the building who tried to convince us to purchase the used molds. Our response? If the competitor removed the used carpeting and left the used molds behind then the used molds must truly be worthless.

Trying not to be cruel, but no, we can not research the mold information for you. The problem is not with Dogwood Ceramic Supply, the eagerness of our staff to work or the lack of time we have available to perform research rather it is problem with the mold companies themselves. Most mold companies are mom and pop operations with strong sculpting skills rather than strong business skills that planned for future needs. Therein lies the problem, lack of planning for future needs. Sam the Shepherd could be a German Shepherd or the Sheepherder from the Nativity Set. A nativity set could a religious item for one mold company while another company will classify a nativity set as a Christmas item. X-1225 might be the only identification provided for a 12.25" rimmed dinner plate . The entire system of naming, classifying and and providing proper identification to the molds might have worked for mom & pop who memorized their products but is entirely worthless for somebody else trying to research the product. Even verbally describing the product is not ideal as many, many companies produced Santa Clauses, dinner plates, Christmas Trees etc. Bottom line, we are spinning our wheels trying to research the identity of any specific mold. Give us a mold company name and product ID number and we can order the mold for you... if the mold is still available.

Molds still available is another completely different, but much related, problem. Most of the mold companies from yesterday have retired and gone to the great kiln in the sky. Even if one can find the proper mold number does not mean the mold is actually available. We estimate 95% of the molds that use to exist, no longer exist.

Why doesn't somebody just buy up all the old mold companies to keep the molds available?

Just because something once existed does it automatically make the item desirable. Anybody remember Edsel? In ceramic land there are lots of Edsels.

The real issue, well actually the second issue after the lack of desirability, is the problem with old molds being old. The production blocks and cases, the equipment used to make the mold cast in the ceramic studio, are traditionally made from Hydrostone (commonly called "stone" for short) or any number of latex or synthetic rubbers. Both stone and rubber have serious issues with storage and aging. Time, temperature and vermin will destroy most old mold blocks and cases no matter how well they are stored.
Even if an old mold block or case is able to survive the rigors of storage the odds are still against the old ceramic mold. Friction is not our friend. Each and every time a casting mold is made from the block and case (either rubber or stone) there is a small amount of friction generated that wears away the details of the block. Some blocks can be re-carved or re-made, IF the sales levels are sufficient to justify the cost. However, most mold companies fail because the lack of sales. Therefore, it is logical to assume the blocks and cases were not re-carved or re-made and the detail of the mold may be seriously lacking. So even if the mold is actually desirable and somehow survives the storage process the product itself may be so worn out that nobody in their right mind would purchase the product. Dogwood's suggestion? Why don't you forget the idea of buying old molds and instead buy a nice new mold?

1) Dogwood Ceramic Supply sells mold catalogs from all the leading mold companies. Please be advised, most of the catalogs list below are in limited supply and will not be reprinted when supplies are depleted.

2) Follow the manufacturer links to the manufacturer's website. Because internet based catalogs can be more easily updated, most manufacturers are transitioning from print catalogs to internet based catalogs. But an online catalog is only as good as the material that went into making the catalog. Remember, Sam the Shepherd could be a German Shepherd or the Sheepherder from the Nativity Set.

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