Tempting Apples..., from the Magic Changing Cards series (N223) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company 1889

This tiny card, “Tempting Apples…” was made by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company as part of a collectible series. It’s printed on thin paper stock, using lithography to create an image of a mischievous-looking character making off with a basket of apples. The printing process would have involved transferring an image onto a stone or metal plate, treating it to retain ink, and then using a press to transfer the image onto the paper. It was a mass production technique that allowed for the inexpensive creation of these cards, which were then included in packages of tobacco as a marketing gimmick. The card’s small size and ephemeral nature contrast with its subject matter: a scene that evokes rural life and perhaps a hint of transgression. Consider the labor involved in growing the tobacco, manufacturing the cards, and the social context of tobacco consumption at the time. These collectible cards blurred the lines between advertising, art, and everyday life.