Percy Stone, Cyclist, from World's Champions, Series 2 (N29) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century ephemera with *Percy Stone, Cycl*, a gem from the "World's Champions, Series2 (N29)" issued by Allen & Ginterarettes in 1888. This petite commercial color lithograph (just 2¾ x 1½ inches) captures the poised portrait of Percy Stone, celebrated cyclist, amid the booming popularity of bicycle racing. Allen & Ginter, pioneering tobacco marketers, embedded these cards in cigarette packs to entice collectors, transforming everyday smokes into portals to athletic heroism. Chromolithography, the medium here, revolutionized mass-produced color printing, allowing vivid hues and sharp details on tiny sheets—perfect for trading and hoarding. Rendered by lithographers Lindner, Eddy & Claus, it exemplifies the era's fusion of art and commerce, spotlighting sports icons as cultural heroes during cycling's golden age, when high-wheel "ordinary" bikes thrilled crowds. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department as part of the Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this card whispers of Victorian obsessions: speed, stardom, and savvy advertising. A delightful snapshot of how everyday objects immortalized champions!

About the Artist

Lindner, Eddy & Claus|Allen & Ginter (American|American) · | – |

American, Richmond, Virginia|American, New York