Otter, from the Wild Animals of the World series (N25) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes
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
63.350.201.25.27
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century advertising with *Otter*, a charming chromolithograph from the 1888 "Wild Animals the World" series (25), issued by the pioneering tobacco company Allen & Ginter. Produced by Philadelphia's George S. Harris & Sons, this tiny card—measuring just 2¾ x 1½ inches—was tucked into cigarette packs as a collectible incentive, sparking a craze for trading cards among adults and children alike. Allen & Ginter's innovative series educated and entertained, showcasing exotic animals like this sleek otter to promote their brand while fueling the burgeoning hobby o...
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...