Axel Paulsen, Champion Skater of the World, from the Champions of Games and Sports series (N184, Type 1) issued by W.S. Kimball & Co. 1887

This is a trade card from the *Champions of Games and Sports* series issued by W.S. Kimball & Co. in 1887. It features a portrait of Axel Paulsen, a famous Norwegian speed skater, known as the "Champion Skater of the World," wearing a fur-trimmed coat and hat. The card also depicts an ice skating scene with several other skaters in the background. These cards were given away with the purchase of cigarettes, contributing to the popularization of the sport and the figure of Paulsen. The card, currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is a prime example of late 19th-century American lithography.