Elephant, from the Wild Animals of the World series (N25) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes
Medium
Commercial color lithograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 3/4 x 1 1/2 in. (7 x 3.8 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
63.350.201.25.12
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 19th advertising with *Elephant*, a charming chromolithograph from Allen & Ginter's *Wild Animals of the World series (N25), in 1888. by the pioneering tobacco company Allen & Ginter in collaboration with printers George S. Harris & Sons this tiny card—measuring just 2¾ x 1½ inches—was tucked into cigarette packs as aible incentive. Part of a popular series showcasing beasts, it captures the era fascination with global wildlife, blending education and entertainment for smokers and collectors alike. This color lithograph exemplifies the technological leap of chro...
About the Artist
Allen & Ginter|George S. Harris & Sons
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...