From the Girls and Children series (N64) promoting Virginia Brights Cigarettes for Allen & Ginter brand tobacco products 1886

This is a trade card from the "From the Girls and Children series" (N64) produced in 1886 by Allen & Ginter to advertise their Virginia Brights cigarettes. The trade card depicts two children, a boy and a girl, ice skating on a frozen lake. The boy is wearing a fur-trimmed coat and hat, while the girl is wearing a long blue dress with a fur-trimmed hat. The trade card is a colorful example of advertising in the late 19th century, with the use of children to appeal to a wide audience. Allen & Ginter were a major manufacturer of tobacco products in the 19th century and are known for their trade cards which often featured a variety of subjects such as celebrities, athletes, and historical figures. The trade cards are now highly sought after by collectors. The trade card is currently in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY.