Plumed Partridge, from the Game Birds series (N13) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands

Art Historical Context

Behold the delicate *Plumed Partridge* Allen & Ginter's *Game Birds* series (N13), a charming 1889 commercial color lithograph measuring just 1½ x 2¾ inches. Produced as inserts for cigarette packs, these tiny treasures were part of a burgeoning collecting craze in late 19th-century America Allen & Ginter, tobacco marketers, issued sets like this to entice smokers and hobbyists alike, turning everyday ephemera into coveted keepsakes that celebrated the natural world. Crafted via chromolithography—a vibrant printing technique that layered colors with precision—this card exemplifies the era's commercial artistry. Firms like George S. Harris & Sons excelled in mass-producing such vivid images, blending scientific accuracy with aesthetic appeal. The plumed partridge, rendered in rich hues, reflects Victorian fascination with ornithology and game birds, symbols of sport and the outdoors. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this print highlights the intersection of commerce, culture, and conservation. What began as promotional gimmicks now offers a window into Gilded Age leisure and the dawn of modern branding. A perfect gem for bird lovers and history buffs!

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...