Duke of Rosebery, from the Racing Colors of the World series (N22b) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century advertising with *Duke of Rosebery, from the Racing Colors of the series (N22b)*, a diminutive commercial color lithograph by Allen & Ginter 1888. This tiny card, measuring just 2¾ x 1½ inches, was one of many inserted into cigarette packs to entice collectors and promote the brand. Part of a popular series showcasing international horse racing silks, it honors the colors of Archibald Primrose, the 5th Earl of Rosebery—a Scottish aristocrat, racehorse owner, and briefly British Prime Minister—capturing the glamour of equestrian sport. Chromolithography, the era's cutting-edge printing technique, brought these designs to life with bold, layered colors on paper, transforming everyday ephemera into coveted collectibles. Allen & Ginter pioneered such trade cards, blending artistry with commerce during a time when horse racing symbolized elite society. Notably tagged with women and jockeys, this piece reflects evolving cultural imagery, possibly envisioning female riders in the Duke's distinctive silks amid a male-dominated sport. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, it exemplifies how commercial prints preserve social history. A snapshot of Victorian leisure and marketing ingenuity, it invites us to ponder racing's allure and the hidden stories in tobacco tins.

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...