Delaware, from Flags of the States and Territories (N11) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands

Art Historical Context

In the late 19th century, American tobacco companies like Allen &inter revolutionized marketing by inserting colorful collectible cards into cigarette packs sparking a nationwide hobby among smokers and children alike. This petite chromolithograph, titled *Delaware, from Flags of the States and Territories (N11)*1888), is one such gem from their series celebrating U.S. state and territorial flags. Measuring just 2¾ × 1½ inches, it captures the Delaware state flag in vivid detail, evoking patriotism during the Gilded Age—a time of rapid industrialization and national pride following the Civil War. Printed as a commercial color lithograph, the card showcases the era's advanced chromolithography technique, which allowed mass production of bright, multi-layered colors from stone plates. Though ephemeral by design—meant for casual trading—this tiny print holds artistic merit in its precise rendering and bold symbolism, reflecting how everyday commerce intertwined with visual culture. Today, preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, it highlights the democratizing power of print ephemera, transforming throwaway ads into treasured artifacts of American history. Visitors, imagine flipping through a cigarette pack to uncover a slice of state heritage!

About the Artist

Allen & Ginter

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...