A Deadly Peril, from the Magic Changing Cards series (N223) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th American advertising with *A Deadly Peril*, gem from the Magic Changing Cards series (N), issued by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco in 1889. This petite commercial color lithograph, just 2¾ × 1½ inches, was tucked into cigarette packages as a promotional collectible. Designed to captivate smokers and children alike, these "magic" cards featured a clever optical illusion: tilt them, and the image transforms before your eyes—often from a scene of dramatic tension to a humorous or safe resolution. With its tag highlighting women, this card likely dramatizes feminine peril in a sensational style typical of the era's popular imagery. Chromolithography, the medium here, revolutionized mass printing, allowing vivid colors and intricate details on cheap paper. Kinney's series exemplified this technique's commercial prowess, blending artistry with marketing to build brand loyalty amid fierce tobacco industry competition. As ephemera—everyday printed matter now treasured—these cards offer a window into Victorian leisure and collecting culture. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, this piece comes from The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, a landmark gift that preserves thousands of such overlooked treasures. A tiny artifact with big stories, it reminds us how everyday promotions shaped popular entertainment.

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...