A butterprint in the shape of an eye flanked by two hearts, Irish, 19th century [7600×5429]
by Ultach
A butterprint in the shape of an eye flanked by two hearts, Irish, 19th century [7600×5429]
by Ultach
2 Comments
Butterprints were essentially little wooden stamps that were used to decorate homemade butter for when you were selling it at the market. It helped it look pretty and also acted like a kind of signature so you’d know whose butter you were buying. [You can see loads of them on the National Museum of Ireland’s online gallery](https://www.museum.ie/en-IE/Collections-Research/Collection/Butterprints). I think it’s really cool how richly decorated even these mundane little household objects were.
[Also, completely unrelated, but apparently ‘butterprint’ also refers to a kind of vintage Pyrex pattern, which is pretty neat.](https://pyrex.cmog.org/pattern-library/butterprint-white-turquoise)
What a lovely little piece of domestic history! There’s something deeply charming about the idea that even butter had branding flair in the pre-industrial age, like a rustic precursor to the Apple logo, but for dairy.
Honestly, if butter branding makes a comeback, I’m here for it. Give me a dragon-stamped wheel of Kerrygold any day.