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In the 1500s, the addition At her 1840 wedding to Prince Albert, pride of place at the top of
of spices and dried fruits Victoria’s wedding cake went to a figure of “Britannia,” a symbol of
heightened the cakes’ palate Great Britain, blessing Roman-costume-attired figurines of the Queen
appeal, but the first sort of and her Consort. (Victoria evidently enjoyed wedding grandeur:
cake a modern bride and the Princess Royal, dwarfed by that seven-foot cake in 1858, was
groom might actually find her daughter.)
recognizable today made its Although Victoria set the fashion, it took several decades for figural
debut in the late 1600s. cake toppers to catch on with the world’s everyday contingent of brides
Among the clutch of French and grooms. Until then, vases of flowers customarily crowned cakes in
chefs who followed Charles England and the United States. The first readily available cake toppers,
II from France to England, dating from the late 1800s, were hand-painted and fashioned of
one unsung pastry innovator marzipan, a sugar-and-egg-based moldable almond paste. Marzipan
stacked several spiced fruit- and the also-edible gum paste toppers were produced by bakery supply
cakes high, spackling the firms (one of the earliest topper ads appears in an 1892 issue of The
resulting pileup with icing. British Baker).
His “layer cake” was an
“Here Comes The Bridal Pair” celluloid immediate hit, appreciated
“huggers,” complete with original box, dating for both its taste, and imposing
from the 1920s. Marked “Made in Japan.” visual appeal.
Groom, 3-1/2” h. $225-$250. Tiered, frosted cakes
became a staple at upper-
class British weddings, their ornamentation (and height) keeping pace
with the rungs on the social ladder. Sugar Cupids, bells, cherubs, doves,
flowers, domes, arches, and even coats-of-arms turned simple tiered
cakes into architectural wonders (the 1858 wedding of Britain’s
Princess Royal featured a cake topping out at seven feet!) With the mid-
1800s advent of fine-ground flour, baking soda, and baking powder, a
lighter, whiter cake better geared to bridal fantasies came into favor,
relegating the fruitcake to holiday appearances.
Plenty of cake. Lots of frosting. But what about those toppers?

From the 1950s, a Lefton ceramic bride and groom, accompanied
by a flower girl and ring bearer. Groom, 5” h. $75-$100/set.

Something New: Cake Toppers of All Types
Soon though, there were other options, as manufacturers realized
that cake toppers needn’t necessarily be made of cake (or candy). They
could be made of. . .well. . . wax, Plaster of Paris (aka “chalkware”),
paper-maché, crepe paper, fabric, porcelain, ceramic, metal, bisque,
celluloid, plastic, wood, composition, saltware, glass, pipe cleaners,
shells, and even peanuts (for starters). Many toppers were combos of
different materials: a celluloid bride with a net veil or crepe paper gown;
a plaster groom, his elegant tux a mix of fabric and paint.
Although generally conjoined, some bridal couples were “separates,”
with jointed limbs, allowing them to be posed as desired. For those in
search of company, complete wedding party “separates” could be
purchased, That way, everyone from the maid of honor right down to
Wax separates circa 1900, with their original molds. Groom, 7” h. $350-$375/pr. the ring bearer could participate in top-of-the-cake fun.

In ancient times, “totems”—small handmade representations of the Something Borrowed: Incorporating
bride and groom—were offered up during wedding ceremonies, in
hopes of prompting marital blessings. Early American wedding parties, Varied Themes and Elements
particularly among those recently arrived in the country, often featured, A demure bride in a traditional
as table favors, tiny bride-and-groom dolls dressed in ethnic costume. dazzling white gown. A slick-haired
But the best-known predecessor of the modern cake topper came courtesy groom in a dapper tuxedo. Those
of Queen Victoria. wedding toppers were good enough for
Mom and Dad—but, as the twentieth
century progressed, budding Bridezillas
wanted more. Unique elements were
incorporated into cake topper designs,
providing one-of-a-kind touches for
what was, (in theory at least), intended
to be a once-in-a-lifetime event. There
were music box toppers. “Pez” toppers.
Electrified toppers, that bathed the

A rarity in its time—the late 1950s—this topper
features a White groom and a Black bride. Special-
ordered at a Virginia bakery, the topper was never
picked up. Groom, 4-1/2” h. $100-$125.

28 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles