Capitol of Florida in Tallahasse, from the General Government and State Capitol Buildings series (N14) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands
Medium
Commercial color lithograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 1 1/2 x 2 3/4 in. (3.8 x 7 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
63.350.201.14.26
Tags
Art Historical Context
This petite chromolithograph, titled *Capitol of Florida inahasse*, captures the State Capitol in Tallahassee as part of Allen & Ginter's *General Government and State Capitol* series (N14), issued in 1889. Produced by Gast Lithograph & Engr Company, these vibrant cards were promotional inserts tucked into cigarette packs, transforming everyday tobacco products into collectible treasures. At just 1 1/2 x 2 3/4 inches, their diminutive size belied their widespread appeal, sparking a collecting craze among Americans fascinated by national landmarks. Lithography's bold color printing technique a...
About the Artist
Allen & Ginter|The Gast Lithograph & Engraving Company
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...