Tooth Sword, South Sea Islands, from the Arms of All Nations series (N3) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1887

This 1887 chromolithograph, "Tooth Sword, South Sea Islands," from the "Arms of All Nations" series, is a trading card produced by Allen & Ginter, a prominent tobacco company, to promote their cigarettes. The card depicts a South Sea Islander holding a "tooth sword", a weapon constructed from sharpened animal teeth, with the "sword" itself fashioned as a spear. The card is a prime example of Victorian-era fascination with exotic cultures and the visual imagery of the "noble savage." The artwork reflects the prevailing ethnocentric perceptions of the time, which often viewed non-Western cultures through a romanticized lens.