Silver-Spangled Hamburgh, from the Prize and Game Chickens series (N20) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th American ephemera with *Silver-Spangled Hambur*, a charming chromolithograph from Allen & Ginter's *Prize and Game Chickens series (N20), in 1891. This tiny card (just 2¾ x 1½ inches) showcases the striking plumage of the Silver-Spangled Hamburgh a prized breed known for its elegant white feathers accented by bold black spangles. Tobacco companies like Allen & G pioneered these collectible insert cards to boost cigarette sales, turning everyday smokes into treasures for enthusiasts of all ages. Produced by The Gast Lithograph & Engraving Company, the artwork exemplifies commercial color lithography—a revolutionary technique that layered vibrant hues through multiple stone plates, enabling mass production of eye-catching images at low cost. This method democratized fine art, blending precision engraving with bold, realistic detailing to capture the chicken's proud stance and iridescent sheen. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this piece highlights a quirky slice of Gilded Age culture: the booming fascination with ornamental poultry breeding and competitive fowl shows. It reminds us how everyday objects bridged commerce, hobby, and artistry, sparking collecting crazes that endure today. (198 words)

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...