Thomas Pettit, Court Tennis Champion, from World's Champions, Series 2 (N29) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes

Art Historical Context

This striking commercial color lithograph from 1888 features Thomas Pettit, a celebrated court tennis champion, as part of Allen & Ginter’s “World’s Champions, Series 2” (N29). Produced as a small trading card measuring just 2 ¾ by 1 ½ inches it was originally distributed inside packs of cigarettes. The portrait captures Pettit in formal athletic attire, highlighting both his personal achievement and the growing public fascination with organized sports during the late nineteenth century. Created through the efficient color lithography process by the firm of Lindner, Eddy & Claus for Allen & Ginter, the card exemplifies how commercial printing transformed ephemera into collectible art. These brightly colored images encouraged brand loyalty while documenting notable athletes across various sports, preserving a visual record of figures who might otherwise have been forgotten. Today, this piece resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Burdick Collection, reminding viewers that even modest printed cards once served as windows into the athletic heroes and popular culture of their era.

About the Artist

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

American, Richmond, Virginia|American, New York