White-Throated Shag, from the Birds of the Tropics series (N5) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands
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
63.350.201.5.14
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century advertising with *White-Throated Sh*, a charming chromolithograph from the *Birds of the Trop* series (N5), issued by the pioneering tobacco company Allen & Ginter in 1889. Printed by George S. Harris & Sons, this petite card—measuring just 2¾ x 1½ inches—was tucked into cigarette packs as a collectible insert, sparking a craze among enthusiasts for birds, nature, and exotic species. The White-Throated Shag, a striking tropical seabird with its elegant white throat and sleek plumage, exemplifies the era's fascination with global wildlife. Crafted as...
About the Artist
Allen & Ginter|George S. Harris & Sons
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...