Summary
The Centenary Souvenir Birthday Cake was claimed to be the biggest cake ever made in the World. It was 50 feet high and 300 feet in circumference. Made by George Rath of the Astoria Cafe, the ten-ton fruitcake was eventually cut into 250,000 pieces, packed into tins made by J. Marsh and Sons of Melbourne, and sold for charity.
Physical Description
Small tin containing fruit cake wrapped in cellophane which is in turn wrapped in a piece of waxed paper with a 'lace' edge. Tin is printed in blue, yellow, black and white. The edges of the tin have been clipped and folded to form tin, edges not joined.
More Information
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Collection Names
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Purchase
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Manufacturer
George Rath, Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1934
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Manufacturer
J. Marsh & Sons, Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1934
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Place & Date of Event
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Place & Date Used
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Inscriptions
Printed on lid: CENTENARY / VICTORIA-MELBOURNE / CENTENARY / SOUVENIR / Birthday Cake / 1834-1934 / VICTORIA...AUSTRALIA / J. MARSH & SONS-MELB. Written, tape inside lid: To Mollie with / the best of luck/from Mother. On back of tin: All flour used in Centenary / Souvenir Birthday Cake / is milled by / Burnley Flour Mills Pty. Ltd./ Burnley, Australia / Peerless in Quality/ Sterling in Value.
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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overall dimensions
7.4 cm (Length), 4.7 cm (Width), 2 cm (Height)
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References
See catalogue from the State Library of Victoria's 1985 exhibition, Victoria's Centenary, for information about the Centenary Birthday Cake.
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Keywords
Celebrations, Civic Mementoes, Melbourne Centenary, 1935, Souvenirs, Victoria Centenary, 1934-1935