Tartary, from the Races of Mankind series (T181) issued by Abdul Cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Step into the world of19th-century ephemera with *Tartary*, a vibrant card from the *Races of Mankind* (T181), issued Abdul Cigarettes in 1881. This petite commercial color lithograph, just 2 3/8 × 1 3/8 inches, captures exotic allure of Central Asian peoples from the historical region of Tartary—encompassing areas like modern-day Mongolia and Siberia. Part of a popular collectible series tucked into cigarette packs, it the era's fascination with global ethnography, blending education with consumer novelty. Chromolithography, the medium here, was a breakthrough in affordable color printing, a...

About the Artist

Abdul Cigarettes · 1881–1881

Abdul Cigarettes, an enigmatic American entity active solely in 1881, stands as a fascinating footnote in the history of commercial art, best known for producing vibrant chromolithograph trade cards inserted into cigarette packages as promotional inserts. Little is documented about its origins or personnel, suggesting it operated as a short-lived publishing venture rather than the work of a singul...