Bluebird, from the Birds of America series (N37) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes
1888
Medium
Commercial color lithograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 7/8 x 3 1/4 in. (7.3 x 8.3 cm)
Classification
Prints|Ephemera
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, Gift of Jefferson R. Burdick
Accession Number
63.350.202.37.4
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century advertising with *Bluebird, from the Birds of America (N37)*, a charming commercial color lithograph produced by Allen & G in 1888. This petite card (just 2 7/8 x 3 1/4 inches) was one of many inserted into cigarette packs, transforming everyday tobacco products into collectible treasures. Allen & Ginter, innovative tobacco magnates, launched these series to captivate smokers and boost brand loyalty, drawing inspiration from John James Audubon's famed ornithological illustrations while adapting them for mass appeal. The artwork showcases the brillia...
About the Artist
Allen & Ginter
Allen & Ginter, the pioneering American tobacco firm based in Richmond, Virginia, emerged around 1880 from the partnership of John F. Allen and Lewis Ginter, evolving from Allen's earlier John F. Allen & Company. Allen retired in 1882, succeeded by John Pope, yet the brand endured under Ginter's leadership, employing over 1,100 workers—mostly women—for hand-rolled cigarettes by 1886. Ginter, a Dut...