American Partridge, from the Game Birds series (N13) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of19th-century advertising with *American Partridge* from Allen & Ginter's Game series (N13), a tiny chromolithograph produced in 1889. This pocket-sized card (just 1 1/2 x 2 3/4 inches) was tucked into cigarette packs by the innovative tobacco firm Allen & Ginter, alongside printers George S. Harris & Sons Part of a popular set celebrating North American game birds—and hinting at rabbits in its imagery—these inserts fueled a collecting craze among smokers and enthusiasts alike. Chromolithography, the medium here, revolutionized commercial printing with its ability to layer vivid colors from stone plates, mimicking hand-painted artwork at scale. This technique captured the partridge's intricate feathers and naturalistic pose with stunning detail, blending artistry with mass appeal during the Gilded Age's boom in consumer ephemera. Today, preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection—the world's premier archive of American trading cards—this humble card highlights shifting cultural tastes: from hunting sports to ornithological fascination. It reminds us how everyday promotions became treasures, bridging commerce, nature, and nostalgia.

About the Artist

George S. Harris & Sons|Allen & Ginter (American|American) · | – |

American, Richmond, Virginia|American, Philadelphia