Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Guide to the Product Cookbooks Collection

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.0396
Creators:
Wells, Ellen B.
Dates:
1874-2009
Languages:
Collection is in
English
. Some materials in
German
,
Swedish
and
Yiddish
.
Physical Description:
18 Cubic feet
20 boxes
Repository:
The collection consists of cookbooks, but many would accurately be described as pamphlets. Also included are some labels from products that contain recipes. The cookbooks were produced by manufacturers of the ingredients of foods; by beverage producers; by the manufacturers of appliances for which certain recipes or ways of cooking were particularly appropriate; by trade associations; and by electric and power companies who produced cookbooks for their customers.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
These items are termed cookbooks because they contain recipes, but they would accurately be described as pamphlets. The collection also contains some labels from products that contain recipes. They were produced by manufacturers of the ingredients of foods; by beverage producers; by the manufacturers of appliances for which certain recipes or ways of cooking were particularly appropriate; by trade associations; and by electric and power companies who produced cookbooks for their customers. Many of the cookbooks advertise the products represented, and they reflect how companies wished to be seen throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Many of the companies represented are national in scope.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged into one series and is alphabetical by name of manufacturer. In box 15 there are no folders numbered 36 or 74.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
This is an collection begun by the Archives Center to house examples of what is generally termed product cookboosk. These cookbooks are produced by manufacturers of the ingredients of foods; by beverage producers; by the manufacturers of appliances for which certain recipes or ways of cooking were particularly appropriate; by trade associations; and by electric and power companies who produced cookbooks for their customers and to ecourage use of their particular product.

Administration

Author
Erin Molloy and Alison Oswald
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was donated by Ellen Wells on December 21, 1990.
Accruals
The Archives Center continues to add to this collection. Addenda were added by Michael Ravnitzky, February 23, 2007; Tillman Neuner, January 28, 2010; James T. Smith, March 3, 2012; O.C. and Pat Boldt, March 6, 2012; Shirley Cherkasky, March 27, 2012; Leslie Browne, March 23, 2012; Mary Lou Collector, March 30, 2012; Shirley Cherkasky, 2012 and 2013; Vera Glocklin, 2013; Shirley Cherkasky, May 2013, 2015, 2016; Michael Mitchell, 2016; Shirley Cherkasky 2016-2019; Sandra Friedman 2017; David R. Bender 2017; Anita MacDougall (in memory of Dora F. Halder) 2017; and Jan Akerson 2019.
Processing Information
Processed by Erin Molloy, volunteer, and Alison Oswald, archivist, 2012. Revised by Jakob Dopp, intern, 2015; revised Austin Arminio, intern, 2016; Isaac Simon, intern, 2018.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Use
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Preferred Citation
Product Cookbooks Collection, 1874-1990, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.

Related Materials
Materials held in the Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Frances S. Baker Product Cookbooks, circa 1900-1993 (AC0612)
Pillsbury Company Bake-Off Collection, 1949-1999 (AC0690)
Food Preservation and Home Canning Literature, 1883-1990 (AC1061)

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Home economics -- 1870-1990 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women -- Nutrition -- 1870-1990 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Food -- 1870-1990 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cookbooks -- 1870-1990 Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pamphlets -- 1870-1990 Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
advertising -- Cookbooks -- 1870-1990 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cookery -- 1870-1990 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Archives Center, National Museum of American History
P.O. Box 37012
Suite 1100, MRC 601
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
Business Number: Phone: 202-633-3270
Fax Number: Fax: 202-786-2453
archivescenter@si.edu