Ten of Spades, Donkey Ride, from Harlequin Cards, 2nd Series (N220) issued by Kinney Bros.

Art Historical Context

Step into the whimsical world of 19th-century advertising with *Ten of Spades,key Ride* from the *Harlequin, 2nd Series (N220)*, issued the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company in 9. This petite commercial color lithograph, measuring just 2¾ × 1½ inches, transforms a standard playing card a lively scene featuring a donkey ride—likely evoking the playful antics of harlequins and circus performers. Produced as promotional inserts for tobacco products, these cards were collectibles that blended gaming iconography with entertainment themes, captivating smokers and children alike. Chromolithography, the era's breakthrough technique for vibrant, mass-produced color printing, allowed Kinney Bros. to create eye-catching designs affordably. The spades suit and donkey motif nod to folklore and leisure, reflecting Victorian-era fascination with pantomime and fairs. As part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection—a treasure trove of American ephemera—this print highlights how commercial art democratized visual culture. Today, it offers a glimpse into Gilded Age marketing ingenuity, where everyday objects like cigarette cards fueled collecting crazes and preserved slices of popular amusement. A delightful reminder of joy in the mundane!

About the Artist

Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company · 1869–2011

**Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company (1869–2011)** Founded around 1869 by Francis Sherwood Kinney in New York City, the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company quickly rose to prominence in the burgeoning American cigarette industry. Francis, a pioneering tobacco manufacturer, experimented with hand-rolled cigarettes using blends of Turkish and Virginia tobacco, scaling to mass production by employing Europ...