Jewel of Order of Saint Patrick, Great Britain, from the World's Decorations series (N44) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1890

Curator: Well, this piece, titled "Jewel of Order of Saint Patrick, Great Britain, from the World's Decorations series," was created by Allen & Ginter Cigarettes around 1890. It's a print, employing both engraving and drawing, and forms part of a larger set. Editor: My first impression is that it is very ornamental. The pale ground really emphasizes the detail of the medal, but the symmetry feels a little static. What does the structure signify? Curator: Indeed. Observe how the composition utilizes a central focus, a jewel, meticulously detailed. The harp and crown surmounting the central emblem indicate a connection to Irish identity and British monarchy, a visual conflation perhaps? The border illustrations repeat elements of the central Jewel but flattened. This creates a dialogue of object and echo. Editor: I wonder what the political context would have been. This comes from a series of cigarette cards, objects mass-produced and widely distributed. It’s fascinating to consider its presence in everyday life, how such imagery might shape perceptions of power and belonging in the British Empire. Was this promoting patriotism, or selling cigarettes through symbolic association with nobility? Curator: One could argue the symbolism employed aims at imbuing the product with associations of nobility, valor, and tradition—classic symbolic projection, wouldn't you agree? See how the cross, rendered in a very precise heraldic style, sits within the garter? Editor: Right. It presents an ideal, an aspiration tied to the culture of that time. Think about how it presents the social and political landscape of late 19th-century Britain. Allen & Ginter wasn't just selling cigarettes; they were distributing messages, defining what it meant to be British. Curator: Perhaps by collecting the whole set, the everyday citizen can attain order, a sense of totality. Even a higher, cultural meaning? I think that could be a reach, but it remains an object worth contemplating today. Editor: I agree. Its formal elegance draws us in. It allows us to consider a particular moment in the socio-political development of British culture and how the business and symbolism become deeply intertwined in cultural messaging.