Violin, from the Novelties series (N228, Type 3) issued by Kinney Bros.

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century American advertising with *Violin, from theelties series (N, Type 3)*, issued by the Kinney Tobacco Company in 188. This petite commercial color lithograph, just 2 3/4 × 1 inches, was one of countless trading cards tucked into cigarette packs to entice collectors and promote the brand. Part of the "Novelt" series, it captures a whimsical scene featuring a man with a violin amid flowers and leaves, blending everyday music with decorative flourishes typical of the era's playful ephemera. Chromolithography, the medium here, revolutionized mass printing by layering vibrant colors through stone-based lithography, making high-quality images affordable for the public. Kinney Bros., a prominent tobacco firm, leveraged this technique to produce eye-catching cards that turned smoking into a gateway for hobby collecting—predecessors to today's sports and gaming cards. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this piece highlights the cultural boom of cigarette cards in Gilded Age America. Burdick, a legendary collector, amassed over 30 million items, preserving these humble prints as windows into Victorian leisure, commerce, and artistry. A delightful snapshot of nostalgia!

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...