Concord, U.S.N., from the Famous Ships series (N50) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1895

This is a 'Concord, U.S.N.' collectible card, part of the Famous Ships series made for Virginia Brights Cigarettes by Allen & Ginter. The sepia image presents the ship in profile. The composition emphasizes its linear structure. Three prominent masts create vertical thrusts, bisected by horizontal spars and the ship's deckline. The hull, rendered in precise detail, displays a series of evenly spaced, dark-toned portals that create a rhythmic pattern against the light background. The use of a singular color field flattens the image, reducing depth and focusing attention on the ship's silhouette. This technique serves to underscore the ship's form as an object of both aesthetic and utilitarian interest. The card encapsulates the cultural fascination with maritime technology and its projection of national power at the time. The very act of collecting and categorizing these cards reflects a broader societal impulse to classify and control the world through systems of knowledge. It suggests a formal ordering of the world, fitting for its time.