Val Andre, from the Fancy Bathers series (N187) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co.

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th American advertising with *Val Andre* from the *Fancyathers* series (N), issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. in 1889. This petite commercial color lithograph captures stylish profile of a woman,oking the leisurely allure of seaside bathing culture during the Gilded Age. Produced by a Rochester, New York-based tobacco, it was one of many collectible inserts tucked into cigarette packages to entice smokers and spark a trading frenzy among enthusiasts. Chromolithography, the era's breakthrough printing technique, allowed for vivid, mass-produced colors on a tiny scale—here, just 2 11/16 × 1 1/2 inches—making these ephemera both affordable art and clever marketing. The *Fancy Bathers* series celebrated idealized feminine beauty in fashionable swimwear, reflecting Victorian society's blend of propriety and emerging leisure trends, while subtly promoting Kimball's products. Today, preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection—a treasure trove of over 30,000 American cards—this piece highlights the dawn of consumer culture, where everyday commerce birthed unexpected artistry. A charming glimpse into how tobacco tins once fueled a nationwide collecting craze!

About the Artist

William S. Kimball & Company · 1850–1950

**William S. Kimball & Company**, a pioneering American tobacco manufacturer, was established in 1846 in Rochester, New York, by William S. Kimball and James C. Hart. The firm quickly grew into one of the city's largest employers, particularly of women, producing popular brands like Peerless chewing tobacco, Rigatta and Fireside smoking tobacco, and Vanity Fair cigarettes. Under Kimball's leadersh...