Imperial Order of the Medjidie, Turkey, from the World's Decorations series (N44) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes
Medium
Commercial color lithograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 7/8 x 3 1/4 in. (7.3 x 8.3 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
63.350.202.44.23
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century advertising with this charming chromolithograph from Allen & Ginter's "'s Decorations" seriesN44), issued around 1890. Produced by the pioneering American tobacco company, these tiny cards—measuring just 2 7/8 x 3 1/4 inches—were into cigarette packs as collectible inserts, blending education, exoticism, and promotion. This example spotlights the Imperial Order of the Medjid, a prestigious Ottoman Turkish medal, showcasing global honors in vivid detail to captivate smokers and traders alike. The card depicts the ornate badge of the Medjidie, an orde...
About the Artist
Allen & Ginter|Lindner, Eddy & Claus
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...