Order of Christ, Portugal, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

The Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company produced this small chromolithograph of the Order of Christ of Portugal as a promotional item for Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. These cards were collected and traded, connecting the branding of the product with widespread cultural fascination with military orders. The Order of Christ was originally a Catholic military order founded in the 14th century, but by the 19th century it had become a secular institution of the Portuguese state, bestowed on citizens for outstanding service to the country. As empires expanded and industrialized, the visual display of national power became crucial. This image is fascinating, as it reveals the way that European traditions of statehood were being commodified and circulated by private companies in the United States. To understand the image better, we could research the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company and the history of collecting military insignia. By situating this image within its complex social, cultural, and institutional contexts, we can better understand its meaning and significance.