Summary

Alternative Name(s): Ice Sculpture

Image of two male chefs carving a tableau of ice sculptures at the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria clubrooms at 123 Queen Street, Melbourne on 5 December 1968. Ice carvaing has a long history, and was once very popular for centrepieces for banquets. The presence of an ice scuplture in pre-refrigeration days was a sign of the host's wealth.

The Royal Automobile Club of Victoria founded at the Port Phillip Club Hotel in 1903. The club was intended to 'serve the Victorian community, promote and advocate for motor cars and provide facilities and services for members.' (RACV) The RACV Club moved to clubrooms at 123 Queen Street in 1961.

This photograph is one of approximately 85,000 negatives from the Laurie Richards Collection taken by the Melbourne based Laurie Richards Studio between the 1950s -1970s. Laurie Richards was a professional photographer who began his career as a photo-journalist, working for the Advertiser newspaper in Adelaide, and the Argus and the Herald newspapers in Melbourne. In 1953, he opened his own business and set up a photographic studio at his home at 4 Tower Avenue, Alphington, an inner suburb of Melbourne. At its peak, in the late 1960s, the Laurie Richards Studio was one of Melbourne's pre-eminent commercial photographic studios, employing twelve photographers. The Laurie Richards Studio worked mainly in advertising and public relations, and had a broad clientele which included commercial companies, government institutions and the entertainment industry.

Description of Content

Two male chefs using chisels to carve a tableau of ice sculptures, which include polar bears, penguins, seals, a gondola and the R.A.C.V. logo.

Physical Description

Black and white negative

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