Pet Squirrel, from the Household Pets series (N194) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co.
Medium
Commercial color lithograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 3 3/4 × 2 1/2 in. (9.5 × 6.3 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
63.350.216.194.24
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the whimsical world of late 19th-century advertising *Pet Squirrel*, a color lithograph from the Household Pets series (N194 issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1891. Produced by Julius Bien & Co. and with the American Tobacco Company, this tiny print—measuring just 3 3/4 × 2 1/2 inches—was designed as an insert for cigarette packs, part of a popular trend where tobacco brands distributed collectible cards to boost sales and customer loyalty. These ephemera captured everyday joys, turning ordinary purchases into treasures. The artwork showcases commercial color lithography at its finest,...
About the Artist
William S. Kimball & Company|Julius Bien & Co.|American Tobacco Company
**William S. Kimball & Company**, a pioneering American tobacco manufacturer, was established in 1846 in Rochester, New York, by William S. Kimball and James C. Hart. The firm quickly grew into one of the city's largest employers, particularly of women, producing popular brands like Peerless chewing tobacco, Rigatta and Fireside smoking tobacco, and Vanity Fair cigarettes. Under Kimball's leadersh...