Aunt Jemima syrup has been a staple breakfast condiment in many American households for over a century. With its distinctive bottle depicting a smiling African American woman, Aunt Jemima syrup is iconic and recognizable. However, in recent years, the Aunt Jemima brand has faced scrutiny and backlash over its racial stereotyping of African American women. In 2020, Quaker Oats announced it would retire the Aunt Jemima name and change the brand image. This move has led some to wonder if holding onto bottles of the original Aunt Jemima syrup could prove valuable to collectors over time. This article will explore the history of the Aunt Jemima brand, the recent rebranding, and whether the original syrup bottles could be worth money someday.
Brief History of Aunt Jemima
The Aunt Jemima brand was first developed in 1889 by Chris Rutt and Charles Underwood. They created the brand after being inspired by a minstrel show performance where a white male performer wore blackface makeup and portrayed a character named “Aunt Jemima.” This character was based on the common racist “Mammy” stereotype depicting African American women as dutiful domestic servants who loved caring for white families.
Rutt and Underwood sought to capitalize on the Mammy stereotype by selling a ready-made pancake mix called Aunt Jemima’s. They hired Nancy Green, a black woman who had been born into slavery, to portray Aunt Jemima at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Dressed as Aunt Jemima and serving pancakes, Green helped bring the new brand major publicity and commercial success.
Over the decades that followed, various women portrayed Aunt Jemima as a “spokescharacter” for the brand. The image of Aunt Jemima evolved over time but continued relying on the Mammy stereotype. Her appearance aimed to evoke a sense of comforting, down-home southern cooking and hospitality.
The Quaker Oats Company purchased the Aunt Jemima Mills Company and brand in 1926. For nearly a century, Quaker Oats owned and marketed Aunt Jemima syrup, mixes, and other breakfast products using the brand’s traditional racial imagery and association.
The 2020 Rebranding
In the wake of the 2020 George Floyd protests and heightened awareness of systemic racism, Quaker Oats finally decided to rebrand Aunt Jemima. There was a widespread public outcry over prominent consumer brands that were still using racial stereotypes, including Aunt Jemima. Critics condemned the brand imagery as offensive, outdated, and rooted in the promotion of racist attitudes.
In June 2020, Quaker Oats announced the Aunt Jemima brand would be retired. They acknowledged the brand’s origins were “based on a racial stereotype” and pledged to redesign the products and change the name away from Aunt Jemima. This rebranding process is expected to be completed in late 2021.
The new brand name and image have not yet been revealed. Quaker Oats says the new branding will still emphasize the joy customers find in the products but without relying on racial stereotypes. The future of the product line remains uncertain as attitudes shift on appropriateness of brands based on racial tropes.
Potential Collectible Value?
For collectors of advertising memorabilia and cultural artifacts, the Quaker Oats decision to rebrand Aunt Jemima inevitably raises the question of whether the original syrup bottles and packaging will gain value. When iconic American brands overhaul their controversial imagery, the public often feels nostalgia for the “classic” packaging. This fuels interest in collecting original vintage items featuring imagery that is now considered taboo or inappropriate.
Examples of other classic American brands that have rebranded due to cultural sensitivity issues include Uncle Ben’s rice and the Washington Redskins football team. In both cases, prices for the original products and merchandise bearing the “offensive” logos began rising among collectors. Racial stereotypes that were once tolerated and promoted in advertising are now rejected. The purging of these outdated images often makes the vintage packaging seem novel and notable in retrospect.
It is too soon to say definitively whether Aunt Jemima syrup bottles and related items will eventually be worth serious money. But there are some promising signs for collectors:
– Scarcity will increase – Once the rebranding is complete in late 2021, no more newly produced items will bear the original Aunt Jemima branding. This will make existing items rarer.
– Public nostalgia – Childhood nostalgia and fond breakfast memories may drive interest in acquiring Aunt Jemima items, even among those supportive of the rebranding.
– General collecting popularity – Aunt Jemima paraphernalia has long been popular and affordable to collect. The branding change will likely increase general collector attention.
– Quality reproductions unlikely – Companies avoid recreating racial imagery, so quality reproductions are improbable. Authentic vintage items will retain advantage.
– Parallel examples gained value – As mentioned, Uncle Ben’s and the Redskins enjoyed price jumps once their brands were retired. Aunt Jemima likely will too.
Of course, anyone collecting Aunt Jemima items as financial investments would need to keep merchandise in pristine condition. Collectors must also consider that public perceptions on race are still evolving. Items once considered innocuous can abruptly become objectionable. So there is inherent risk in collecting goods associated with racial stereotypes, even when doing so for nostalgic or financial reasons.
Key Factors in Aunt Jemima Syrup’s Potential Value
For those interested in collecting Aunt Jemima syrup bottles specifically, there are several key factors to be aware of that may impact future value:
– Age – The oldest bottles from earlier decades are most desirable. Bottles from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s may have the most upside. Newer bottles are less scarce.
– Size – Larger syrup dispenser bottles are rarer and more visually striking. Smaller bottles are still collectible but less valuable.
– Condition – Bottles must be flawlessly maintained. Chips, cracks, staining, and other signs of use will severely hurt value. Most valuable specimens will look untouched.
– Variants – Unique bottle shapes and label designs over the years appeal to collectors. Less common variants tend to bring higher prices.
– Display – Bottles still sealed in original crates or cardboard boxes have added appeal to collectors.
– Provenance – A clear history of the bottle’s origins and previous owners enhances prestige and value.
Aunt Jemima’s racial branding has made collecting associated items controversial. But for some, nostalgia or financial potential outweighs those concerns. As with any collecting market, future value depends on scarcity, demand, condition and display qualities. Wise collectors must gauge changing societal attitudes before investing substantially in branded items based on racial stereotypes. The value of Aunt Jemima bottles and merchandise could prove volatile.
Prices of Vintage Aunt Jemima Syrup Bottles
To understand the potential value of Aunt Jemima syrup bottles, it helps to examine some real-world examples of prices these vintage items have already commanded:
– A 1950s-era Aunt Jemima dispenser bottle with a metal screw-on cap and yellow label recently sold for $150 at auction. It featured the smiling “Mammy” image of Aunt Jemima.
– A still-sealed quart bottle from the 1960s featuring the Aunt Jemima logo prominently sold for $114.50 in an online auction. Its pristine condition and childhood nostalgia made it highly sought after.
– A 1970s-era glass syrup dispenser with plastic screw top went for $312 in an online sale. The lime green design had avid collectors dueling over this rare color variant.
– An unopened late 1950s cardboard box containing two quart bottles with the vintage Aunt Jemima label achieved a price of $892 at auction. The flawless box added significant value.
– A damaged 1950s dispenser bottle was sold at a garage sale for just $8. Despite the low price, the buyer hoped to resell it to someone who values just the logo and imagery.
These examples illustrate how factors like era, condition, packaging and color impact pricing for Aunt Jemima bottles and containers. Potential collectors should study the market thoroughly. While valuable specimens certainly exist, many bottles sell for under $50 in average condition. Patience and research is required to obtain special pieces likely to gain worth.
Future Outlook
Looking ahead, Aunt Jemima syrup bottles seem poised to become an intriguing niche for brand nostalgia collectors. But those interested for potential investment must act prudently and ethically.
From a financial standpoint, it may make sense to acquire some choice pieces now while they remain affordable and before public interest surges. However, collectors should avoid overpaying or supporting manufacturers of racist paraphernalia merely for possible profits down the road.
It is also wise to document details and provenance thoroughly for any vintage Aunt Jemima items obtained. As societal views evolve, cautious collectors should be ready to explain their motivations and methods if necessary.
While the Aunt Jemima brand itself is being consigned to history, the public is unlikely to forget this famous image and product line anytime soon. For good or bad, Aunt Jemima left an indelible mark on American culture. The future value of remaining bottles and merchandise will say as much about collectors and society as it does about the items themselves.
Conclusion
The Quaker Oats decision to rebrand Aunt Jemima syrup and breakfast foods marks the end of an era. Yet it also opens the door to a fascinating new niche for brand nostalgia collectors interested in vintage packaging and advertising. Key factors that may drive future value of Aunt Jemima bottles include age, condition, display attributes, and variant designs. Still, collecting items associated with racial stereotypes poses an ethical dilemma for the thoughtful hobbyist. The potential value must be carefully weighed against social factors. While Aunt Jemima bottles may someday be worth money, preserving racist iconography solely for profit would rightfully draw public condemnation. Ultimately, these collectibles reflect both the insensitivity of the past and the social progress still required. Their future worth will depend on far more than dollars and cents alone.
