Great Northern Diver (Loon), from the Birds of America series (N4) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands
1888
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
63.350.201.4.46
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the striking *Great Northern Diver (Lo)*, a gem from the *Birds of America* series (N4), produced by the pioneering tobacco firm Allen & G in 1888. This petite commercial color lithograph—measuring just 2¾ x 1½ inches—was designed as an insert for cigarette packs, part of a wildly popular marketing strategy in late 19th-century America. Allen & Ginter revolutionized advertising by issuing vibrant sets of trade cards, enticing collectors young and old while promoting their brands. Echoing John James Audubon's iconic ornithological illustrations, this series celebrated North American bird...
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...