Yellow-breasted Chat, from the Birds of America series (N4) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands
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
63.350.201.4.20
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the delicate charm of the *Yellow-breasted Chat*, a vibrant commercial color lithograph from the1888 *Birds of America* (N4), produced by the pioneering tobacco firm Allen & Ginter. These tiny cards—measuring just 2¾ x 1½ inches—were tucked into cigarette packs as promotional inserts, sparking a collecting frenzy among Victorians. Echoing John James Audub majestic *Birds of America*, series brought ornithological wonders to everyday enthusiasts, blending education with commerce in an era when trade cards transformed advertising into art. Crafted via chromolithography, a breakthrough te...
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...