He Thought He Had the Chicken..., from the Magic Changing Cards series (N223) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company

Art Historical Context

Step into the whimsical world of 19th tobacco premiums with *He Thought He Had the...*, a delightful card from Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company's *Magic Changing Cards* series (N223), in 1889. These tiny chromolithographs, measuring just 2¾ × 1½ inches, were tucked into cigarette packs as collectibles, sparking a collecting frenzy among Americans. The humorous title and tags evoking men and chickens hint at a playful optical illusion—likely a transforming image that shifts when tilted, turning expectation into surprise. Crafted via commercial color lithography, a revolutionary technique of the era, this print showcases vibrant hues and crisp details achievable through multiple stone-printing layers. Kinney Brothers, savvy marketers, used such ephemera to build brand loyalty amid fierce tobacco competition, blending advertising with entertainment in the Gilded Age's consumer culture. Today, preserved in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection—a treasure trove of American cards—this piece highlights ephemera's artistic merit. It reminds us how everyday objects captured joy, humor, and ingenuity, bridging commerce and popular art.

About the Artist

Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company · 1869–2011

**Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company (1869–2011)** Founded around 1869 by Francis Sherwood Kinney in New York City, the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company quickly rose to prominence in the burgeoning American cigarette industry. Francis, a pioneering tobacco manufacturer, experimented with hand-rolled cigarettes using blends of Turkish and Virginia tobacco, scaling to mass production by employing Europ...