Two of Hearts, Two Brave Hearts, from Harlequin Cards, 2nd Series (N220) 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, N220.17
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century American ephemera with *Two of Hearts, Two Hearts*, a charming commercial color lithograph from the *Harlequin Cards, nd Series (N220)* issued by the Kin Brothers Tobacco Company in 1889. This petite print, measuring just 2¾ × 1½ inches, was likely a collectible insert tucked into tobacco packages, transforming everyday smoking products into treasures for enthusiasts. The playful title reimagines the playing card suit, blending hearts with themes of bravery, as evoked by tags of birds, men, and playing cards—suggesting whimsical illustrations of anth...
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...