Piping Crow-shrike, from the Song Birds of the World series (N42) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Behold the vibrant *Piping Crow-shrike from the *Song Birds of the World* (N42), issued by Allen & Ginter Cigarettes in 1890. This petite commercial color lithograph, measuring just 2 7/8 x 3 1/4 inches, captures the striking black-and-white plumage and alert gaze of this Australian bird, part of a popular set designed to delight collectors worldwide. Produced by George S. Harris & Sons these cards transformed everyday cigarette packs into educational treasures, blending ornithological accuracy with commercial appeal during the Gilded Age. Chromolithography, the medium here, was a revolutionary 19th-century technique that allowed for vivid, multi-color printing on a mass scale—perfect for affordable ephemera like these trade cards. Allen & Ginter's innovative series fueled a collecting craze, educating the public on global avian diversity while boosting brand loyalty. Today, housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this print exemplifies how everyday objects became gateways to natural history and art. A charming snapshot of Victorian fascination with the natural world, the *Piping Crow-shrike* reminds us how art bridged commerce and curiosity, turning a simple bird portrait into lasting cultural ephemera.

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...