Pension Building in Washington, from the General Government and State Capitol Buildings series (N14) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands

Art Historical Context

This charming 1889 commercial color lithograph captures the imposing Pension Building in Washington, D.C., as part of Allen & Ginter’s “General Government and State Capitol Buildings” cigarette card series. Issued to promote the company’s cigarette brands, the tiny print—measuring just 1 ½ by 2 ¾ inches—shows the massive brick structure with its distinctive red-tile roof and fluttering American flags, reflecting the era’s pride in grand federal architecture. Produced by the Gast Lithograph & Engraving Company, the card exemplifies the vibrant color lithography that made mass-produced ephemera both affordable and visually appealing. Such cards were tucked into cigarette packages to stiffen them and encourage collecting, turning everyday tobacco purchases into opportunities to learn about national landmarks. Today, this print resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Burdick Collection, reminding visitors how 19th-century commercial art blended education, patriotism, and advertising in delightfully miniature form.

About the Artist

Allen & Ginter|The Gast Lithograph & Engraving Company

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...