Buffalo Bill, Champion of the Wild West Hunters, from the Goodwin Champion series for Old Judge and Gypsy Queen Cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century American advertising with *Buffalo Bill, Champion the Wild West Hunters* (1888), a petite commercial color lithograph produced Goodwin & Company. Part of the Goodwin Champion series Old Judge and Gypsy Queen Cigarettes, this 2 5/8 x 1 1/2-inch card captures the legendary William F. Cody—better known as Buffalo Bill a dynamic portrait that celebrates his exploits as a hunter and showman. These ephemera prints, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, were designed for mass distribution, tucked into cigarette packs to entice collectors. Chromolithography, the medium here, allowed for bold, multicolored reproductions that brought the mythic American West to everyday audiences. At a time when Buffalo Bill's Wild West shows dazzled crowds with reenactments of frontier life, these cards fueled public fascination, blending heroism with commercial savvy. They highlight how tobacco companies like Goodwin & Company pioneered branded collectibles, turning smokers into traders and immortalizing cultural icons. Today, this tiny artifact reveals the era's blend of adventure, celebrity, and marketing ingenuity, offering a colorful window into Gilded Age popular culture.

About the Artist

Goodwin & Company · 1850–1950

**Goodwin & Company (ca. 1850–1950)** Goodwin & Company, originally established as E. Goodwin and Brother before the American Civil War, emerged as a prominent New York City-based tobacco manufacturer in the mid-19th century. Operating from the bustling heart of Manhattan, the firm built its reputation on popular cigarette brands such as Gypsy Queen and, most notably, Old Judge, which became syno...