William Lakeland, from the Racing Colors of the World series (N22b) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes
1888
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
63.350.201.22.68
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century advertising with *William Lakeland* from Allen & Ginter's *Racing Colors of the World series (N22b), a delightful 1888 commercial color lithograph. Measuring just 2¾ x 1½ inches, this petite card was designed as a collectible insert in cigarette packs, showcasing the jockey's racing silks—those colorful patterns worn by riders to identify them during thrilling horse races. The tags highlighting women and jockeys suggest it captures the era's fascination with female participants in the sport, a rarity that adds intrigue to this ephemera. Allen & Gint...
About the Artist
Allen & Ginter
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...