King of Diamonds, from Harlequin Cards, 2nd Series (N220) issued by Kinney Bros.
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
Burdick 218, N220.54
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 19th American advertising with *King of Diamonds* from the *Harlequin, 2nd Series (N220)*, issued the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company in 9. This petite commercial color lithograph, just 2¾ × 1½ inches, mimics a playing card featuring a regal king in harlequin attire, blending the whimsy of commedia dell theater with the everyday thrill of card games. Tobacco companies like Kinney Bros popularized these collectible inserts—tucked into cigarette packs—to boost brand loyalty and spark collecting fever among enthusiasts of all ages. The artwork showcases the era's l...
About the Artist
Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company · 1869–2011
**Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company (1869–2011)** Founded around 1869 by Francis Sherwood Kinney in New York City, the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company quickly rose to prominence in the burgeoning American cigarette industry. Francis, a pioneering tobacco manufacturer, experimented with hand-rolled cigarettes using blends of Turkish and Virginia tobacco, scaling to mass production by employing Europ...