Brazilian Tanager, from the Song Birds of the World series (N42) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century collectibles with *Brazilian Tanager*, charming chromolithograph from the *Song Birds of the World* series (N42), issued by Allen & Ginter Cigarettes in1890. Produced by S. Harris & Sons this petite print—measuring just 2 7/8 x 3 1/4 inches—capt the exotic beauty of the Brazilian Tanager, a striking songbird with its vivid plumage, rendered in vivid commercial color lithography. These cards were tucked into cigarette packs as promotional inserts, transforming everyday tobacco products into gateways for education and collecting. Chromolithography, the era's breakthrough printing technique, allowed for mass-produced, jewel-like colors that mimicked fine art at affordable prices, making ornithological wonders accessible to the public. Allen & Ginter pioneered such series, blending commerce with natural history to fuel a collecting craze among Victorians fascinated by global wildlife. Today, preserved in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection—a treasure trove of ephemera gifted by the avid collector—this card highlights how everyday objects documented the natural world, bridging art, science, and advertising in Gilded Age America. A delightful glimpse into a bygone passion!

About the Artist

Allen & Ginter|George S. Harris & Sons

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...