Jell-O Package Inserts
By Lynne Belluscio

MARCH 26, 2001 - Ron Schieber from Akron, Ohio, is probably the best authority on Jell-O recipe books and package inserts that I know. He is an emphemera dealer and has information about a lot of other products, such as Fairbank Soap, H.J. Heinz and Lucky Strike cigarettes. He compiles checklists of advertising items for all of these products. Several years ago he began the Jell-O check list and has sent a color copy of his most recent 33 page update. It is quite impressive. It also includes early brochures for Orator Woodwardís medicines, Grain-O, and Woodwardís cereal, "It."

I was particularly interested in the several pages that he devoted to the Jell-O package inserts. We have quite a few in the collection and I knew that there were several sets, but Ron has organized all of them and made a check list. The earliest inserts were printed in 1908 and were little booklets with six pages of recipes. Each one is stapled on the spine. Only two designs are known, one with a molded orange Jell-O and the other with "Jell-O" printed in green; and a strawberry Jell-O with fruit on the cover. (We have both of the booklets in the collection.) There are a couple of undated designs that probably date from this time also. In 1910, there were two booklets printed, one with green letters and cherry Jell-O and the other with coffee Jell-O. (Those two we donít have.)

Starting in the early 1920ís, there were 10 sets of twelve inserts printed and distributed in the boxes. I can remember a couple of years ago when we decided that we should empty some of the old boxes of Jell-O we had in the collection (to avoid critters - both with four legs and wings), we were surprised to find inserts in a couple of them. We only have two complete sets in the collection, but I have made a check list for when I am placing bids on Ebay so I can look for some of our missing inserts.

There are two sets illustrated by Lucile Marsh. One is a set of nursery rhymes and the other is a set of months of the year which correspond to a cookbook that was published in 1924. (We have all the months but March and December.)

Two other sets that are interesting are the Jell-O Girl in North America and the Jell-O Girl Around the World. We are missing one in the America Series and three in the World Series.

But even more interesting is that we have the original artwork for several of the American series, including, the Jell-O Girl at the Missions, the Jell-O Girl at Yosemite, and the Jell-O Girl at the Grand Canyon. These paintings are next on the list for restoration. The paint has been applied thickly and in some places it is flaking off.

This year we have one of the Angus Macdonnall paintings in Buffalo to be cleaned and restored, so when that is returned, Iíll take these paintings for restoration. Ron attributes dates to some of these sets of inserts that I disagree with, so I will have to call and find out how he decided to date the pieces. Since many are not dated, I usually search for the name of the company. If it says "Genesee Pure Food Company" it usually has to be before November 1923, when the name of the company was changed to "The Jell-O Company."

However, there are 1924 Jell-O cookbooks that are marked Genesee Pure Food Company. The Jell-O Company was bought out by Postum on December 31, 1925 and for a short time, cookbooks, boxes and package inserts were marked with Postum. A set of inserts, illustrated by Marion Powers are dated 1927 - Postum Company. I have not found any package inserts marked General Foods Company, which leads me to believe that they did not continue with the inserts.

One of my favorite sets shows the Jell-O Girl in costumes. When the cover is flipped open, she has a different costume on. The costumes include Alaska, China, Hawaii, Holland, American Indian, Ireland, Japan, France, Russia, Scotland, and Spain. So when youíre out at the flea markets and antique shops, keep your eyes peeled for these little Jell-O collectibles. Theyíre hard to come by, and are over 75 years old - - true Jell-O antiques.