Bear Coat, North American Chief, from the Savage and Semi-Barbarous Chiefs and Rulers series (N189) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co.

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th ephemera with *Bear Coat, North American Chief*, a colorful lithograph from the *Savage and Semi-Barous Chiefs and Rulers series (N189), issued by Wm. S Kimball & Co. in 1888. This card, measuring just 2 11/16 × 1 1/2 inches, captures a portrait of the Native American leader in vivid detail, reflecting the era's fascination with indigenous figures as exotic "chiefs and rulers." Produced as a promotional insert for Kimball's tobacco products, it exemplifies how commercial art bridged everyday consumer goods with global curiosity. Chromolithography, the medium here, was a groundbreaking technique by the 1880s, allowing mass production of bright, multi-layered colors from stone plates—a far cry from earlier hand-colored prints. This innovation made such affordable collectibles hugely popular, turning cigarette packs into treasure troves for enthusiasts. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, the card highlights the blurred lines between fine art, advertising, and popular culture. Today, it offers a window into late Victorian attitudes toward Native Americans, blending admiration with the era's "semi-barbarous" stereotypes. A tiny artifact with big stories, it reminds us how everyday objects preserved portraits and sparked imaginations across generations.

About the Artist

William S. Kimball & Company · 1850–1950

**William S. Kimball & Company**, a pioneering American tobacco manufacturer, was established in 1846 in Rochester, New York, by William S. Kimball and James C. Hart. The firm quickly grew into one of the city's largest employers, particularly of women, producing popular brands like Peerless chewing tobacco, Rigatta and Fireside smoking tobacco, and Vanity Fair cigarettes. Under Kimball's leadersh...