Redstart, from the Birds of America series (N4) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands
1888
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
63.350.201.4.39
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the vibrant *Redstart* from the *Birds America* series (N4), a delightful chromolithograph issued by the pioneering tobacco firm Allen & G in 1888. just 2¾ x 1½ inches, tiny gem was tucked into cigarette packs as a promotional trade card, sparking a collecting frenzy among Victorian enthusiasts. Part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick, it exemplifies ephemera—everyday printed matter now cherished for its cultural snapshot. Allen & Ginter revolutionized marketing in the late 19th century with their colorful series of cards featuring birds, animals, and sports figur...
About the Artist
Allen & Ginter
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...