Chamois, from the Wild Animals of the World series (N25) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century advertising with *Chamois, from the Wild Animals of the series (N25)*, a petite chromolithograph produced in 1888 by George S Harris & Sons for the pioneering tobacco company Allen & Ginter. These tiny cards (just 2¾ x 1½ inches) were tucked into cigarette packs as promotional inserts, transforming everyday purchases into collectible treasures. Allen & Ginter, innovators in the trade card craze, issued sets like this to captivate smokers—especially young men—with vivid depictions of exotic animals, blending education on natural history with clever marketing. The chamois, a nimble goat-antelope native to Europe's alpine meadows, is rendered here in stunning color lithography, a technique that allowed mass production of richly hued images from stone plates. This commercial ephemera exemplifies the era's graphic artistry, where precision and vibrancy drew collectors despite their disposable intent. As part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection— the world's premier archive of such cards—these prints preserve a slice of Gilded Age culture, highlighting how advertising fueled public fascination with wildlife long before television documentaries. Today, this unassuming gem reveals the intersection of commerce, art, and curiosity, reminding us how everyday objects sparked wonder in a pre-digital age.

About the Artist

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

American, Richmond, Virginia|American, Philadelphia