France, Kingdom, from the Arms of Dominions series (N181) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co.
Medium
Commercial color lithograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 3/4 × 1 1/2 in. (7 × 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
63.350.216.181.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century advertising with *France, Kingdom, from the Arms of Dominions series (N181)*, a petite commercial color lithograph produced by William S. Kimball & in 1888. Issued as part of a popular series of collectible cards tucked into cigarette packs, this tiny gem (just 2 3/4 × 1 1/2 inches) proudly displays the heraldic coat of arms of the Kingdom of France. Kimball, a Rochester-based tobacco firm, capitalized on the era's fascination with empire and national pride, enticing smokers with these educational inserts that celebrated global dominions. Crafted vi...
About the Artist
William S. Kimball & Company
**William S. Kimball & Company**, a pioneering American tobacco manufacturer, was established in 1846 in Rochester, New York, by William S. Kimball and James C. Hart. The firm quickly grew into one of the city's largest employers, particularly of women, producing popular brands like Peerless chewing tobacco, Rigatta and Fireside smoking tobacco, and Vanity Fair cigarettes. Under Kimball's leadersh...