Cherries, from the Fruits series (N12) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century advertising with *Cherries, from the Fruits series (12) for Allen & Ginter Cigarette* (1891). This commercial color lithograph, just 2 3/4 x 1 1/2 inches, was produced by Allen & Ginter in collaboration with George S. & Sons. Likely featuring charming illustrations of girls with ripe cherries—evoking innocence and abundance—these cards were tucked into cigarette packs as collectible inserts, sparking a craze among enthusiasts, including children, during the Gilded Age. Chromolithography, the medium here, revolutionized mass printing with its layered colors mimicking paintings, making luxurious imagery affordable. As ephemera, these prints highlight the era's fusion of commerce and art, where tobacco brands like Allen & Ginter pioneered themed series to build loyalty and nostalgia. Part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, this piece comes from The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, a treasure trove of American trade cards gifted in 1948. Though small, *Cherries* captures a slice of cultural history: the playful marketing that blurred lines between toys, art, and vice, reminding us how everyday objects once fueled collecting fever.

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...