Opera glasses, from the Novelties series (N228, Type 3) issued by Kinney Bros.

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of late 19th-century American advertising with *Opera Glasses* from Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company's Novelties series (N, Type 3), a diminutive 1889 commercial color lithograph just 1 7/16 × 2 5/8 inches. Produced as an insert for cigarette packs, this ephemera captures the era's obsession with collectible cards, enticing smokers with glamorous imagery likely featuring a stylish woman peering through opera glasses symbol of refined leisure and-society entertainment. Crafted via chromolithography, a revolutionary printing technique that enabled vivid, multi-layered colors on a mass scale, the card exemplifies the commercial artistry of the Gilded Age. Kinney Bros., a prominent tobacco firm, issued these novelties to boost brand loyalty and spark a collecting frenzy among enthusiasts, transforming everyday products into coveted treasures. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department as part of The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this piece highlights the cultural crossroads of consumerism, fashion, and print innovation. It offers a charming glimpse into Victorian aspirations, where even a tiny card could evoke the elegance of the opera house.

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...