Order of Saint Michael, Bavaria, from the World's Decorations series (N44) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th ephemera with this petite chromolithograph, *Order of Saint Michael,*, from Allen & Ginter's *World's Decorations* (N44), issued around 1890. Produced the innovative American tobacco company Allen & Ginter, these were tucked into cigarette packs as collectibles, sparking a craze among smokers and hobbyists. This example showcases the illustrious Bavarian Order of Saint Michael, a chivalric decoration founded in 1693 by Elector Maximilian Emanuel, symbolizing military valor and royal favor in Europe's aristocratic circles. Crafted as a commercial color lithograph by printers Lindner, Eddy & Claus, the card measures just 2 7/8 x 3 1/4 inches, yet bursts with intricate detail through the era's advanced chromolithography technique. Multiple lithographic stones allowed for rich, layered colors, making high-quality reproductions affordable for mass distribution. Such cards bridged popular culture and history, educating the public on global heraldry while promoting brand loyalty. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department as part of The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this ephemera highlights the intersection of commerce, art, and collecting in Gilded Age America—a tiny portal to imperial splendor.

About the Artist

Allen & Ginter|Lindner, Eddy & Claus

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...