Wedding cake

Caroline Fry <vcccm [at] vicnet__net__au> writes

>...  The Museum has a tier of Prince Charles and
>Lady Diana's wedding cake (approximately 30 cm square), which was
>presented to Col. F. H Walker, Director of the Royal Australian
>Armoured Corps, immediately after the wedding in July 1981.
>...
>So, can anyone give me some advice on the preservation options for
>this significant cake.

I have dealt with a few food objects in the past each always seems
to be a different problem. For a fruit cake, I would try using an
absorbant material underneath the cake to collect oils.  You might
try placing the cake onto a perforated plex support.  The support
and cake can then be placed on an absorbant paper like blotter
paper.  The plex will support the cake and facilitate replacement of
the blotter paper.  I would also use fiber optic lights and/or avoid
any direct exhibit light and reduce the temperature of the display
case to kept the cake as firm as possible. Good luck,

Shelley Reisman Paine

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 13:30
               Distributed: Wednesday, November 17, 1999
                       Message Id: cdl-13-30-004
                                  ***