Festive Green Parrot, from Birds of the Tropics series (N38) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Behold the vibrant *Festive Green Parrot from the *Birds the Tropics* seriesN38), a delightful 1889 commercial color lithograph produced by Allen & Ginter in collaboration with George S. & Sons. Measuring just 2 7/8 x 3 1/4 inches, this petite print captures the exotic allure of a lush green parrot, its feathers rendered in vivid chromolithographic hues that pop against the page. These cards were ingeniously tucked into cigarette packs by the pioneering tobacco firm Allen & Ginter, transforming smokes into collectibles and sparking a craze for trading and album-filling among enthusiasts. Chromolithography, the era's breakthrough for affordable, full-color printing, allowed mass production of such eye-catching imagery, blending artistry with commerce. Part of a beloved series showcasing tropical birds, this ephemera reflects late 19th-century fascination with distant wildlife amid global exploration and natural history booms. Today, preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, it stands as a charming artifact of advertising ingenuity and natural beauty, reminding us how everyday objects fueled Victorian collecting passions.

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...