Magnificent Bird of Paradise, from the Birds of the Tropics series (N5) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century advertising with *Magnificent Bird of Paradise a stunning chromolithograph from Allen & Ginter's *Birds of the Trop* series (N5), issued in 1889. Produced as collectible inserts for cigarette packs, these tiny treasures—measuring just 2¾ x 1½ inches—captured the exotic allure of paradise birds, luring smokers and collectors alike with their jewel-like plumage and intricate details. Printed by George S. Harris & Sons commercial color lithography, a revolutionary technique that layered up to 30 stones for vivid, multi-hued results, this ephemera exemplifies the era's marketing ingenuity. Allen & Ginter, pioneers in the tobacco trade, popularized "cigarette cards" to boost brand loyalty, transforming everyday smokes into portals for education and fantasy. The Birds of Paradise, native to New Guinea's rainforests, symbolized untamed beauty and rarity, making this card a pocket-sized marvel of natural history. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, it highlights how commerce and art intertwined, sparking a collecting craze that endures among enthusiasts of Victorian ephemera. A reminder that even the smallest prints can flutter with historical magic!

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...