Sword Dance, from National Dances (N225, Type 1) 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, N225.85
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century advertising with *Sword Dance*, a charming commercial color lithograph from Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company's *National Dances* seriesN225, Type 1), issued in 1889. These petite cards, measuring just 2 3/4 × 1 1/2 inches, were tucked into cigarette packages as collectible premiums, sparking a craze among enthusiasts—especially children—who traded them like modern trading cards. This piece captures the exotic allure of folk traditions, showcasing graceful women dancers wielding swords in a dynamic, perilous routine likely inspired by Scottish or Europ...
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...