India Peacock, from the Birds of the Tropics series (N5) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands
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
63.350.201.5.47
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the vibrant *India Peacock* from Allen & Ginter's *s of the Tropics* series (N5), a delightful 1889 commercial color lithograph issued as a collectible insert in cigarette packs. Measuring just 2¾ x 1½ inches, this tiny gem captures the majestic bird's iridescent plumage in exquisite detail, showcasing the peacock's symbolic beauty and exotic allure from India. Produced by Allen & Ginter in collaboration with George S. Harris & Sons, it exemplifies the golden age of American tobacco advertising, when companies bundled stunning artwork with their products to entice collectors and boost s...
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...