French Colonial West Indian Colonies, from Flags of All Nations, Series 2 (N10) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands
1890
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
63.350.201.10.17
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 19th advertising with *French Colonial West Indian Colonies a petite chromolithograph from Allen &inter's *Flags of All Nations, 2 (N10)*, issued in 1890. These tiny cards, measuring just 2¾ x 1½ inches, were tucked into cigarette packs as promotional inserts, sparking a collecting craze among smokers worldwide. Produced by the pioneering American tobacco firm Allen & Ginter, this celebrated global flags, subtly showcasing imperial reach during Europe's colonial heyday—including France's holdings in the West Indies, like Martinique and Guadeloupe. Crafted via co...
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...