Bavarian Postillion, from World's Smokers series (N33) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century advertising with *Bavarian Postillion a charming card from Allen & Ginter's *World's Smokers* seriesN33), issued in 1888. Produced by pioneering American tobacco company, this petite commercial color lithograph (2 3/4 x 1 1/2 in.) captures a dapper Bavarian postillion—a mounted mail carrier—pipe in hand, evoking the romantic allure of European travel and tradition. Part of a popular set distributed in cigarette packs, these cards celebrated global smoking customs, blending exoticism with everyday promotion. Chromolithography, the era's breakthrough printing technique, brought vivid hues and fine details to mass-produced ephemera, making art accessible to everyday collectors. Allen & Ginter, innovators in the field, sparked a collecting frenzy that influenced modern trading cards. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this piece highlights how commerce fueled visual culture. Culturally, it reflects late Victorian fascination with international types and the normalization of smoking among men, offering a window into Gilded Age leisure and globalization. A delightful snapshot of history in your pocket!

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...