Tetradrachm of Dionysios, 406 B.C., from the Ancient Coins series (N180) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co.
Medium
Commercial color lithograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 1 1/2 × 2 5/8 in. (3.8 × 6.7 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
63.350.216.180.69
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the captivating world of 19th ephemera with this petite commercial color lithograph,Tetradrachm of Dionysios, 406.C.*, from the Ancient Coins series (N180 Produced in 1888 by William. Kimball & Company—a Rochester, New York-based tobacco firm 1 1/2 × 2 5/8-inch print vividly reproduces an ancient Greek silver coin minted in Syracuse around 406 B.C. during the rule of the powerful tyrant Dionysios I. These tiny treasures were likely distributed as promotional inserts in cigarette packages, blending classical antiquity with everyday consumer culture. The artwork showcases the artistry...
About the Artist
William S. Kimball & 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...