Berghund, from the Dogs of the World series for Old Judge Cigarettes 1890

This is a lithograph of a Berghund dog, part of the “Dogs of the World” series for Old Judge Cigarettes, produced around the turn of the 20th century. These cards were inserted into cigarette packs, reflecting the cultural trends of the time, like the rising popularity of dog ownership. The series is very much a product of its time, reflecting society's growing fascination with categorizing and understanding the natural world through a colonial lens. "Berghund" is a general term for mountain dogs. This card, in its attempt to classify and represent breeds from around the world, participates in a broader project of ordering and controlling the natural world. These cards provide insight into how animals were perceived and valued during this era. They catered to a predominantly white, middle-class audience, reinforcing certain values and perspectives. The act of collecting these cards can be seen as a form of cultural consumption. These small, mass-produced images offer a window into the intersection of commerce, culture, and the human-animal relationship during a transformative period in history.