Roseate Spoonbill, from the Game Birds series (N13) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1889

This is a lithograph of a Roseate Spoonbill, from the Game Birds series, made by Allen & Ginter for cigarette cards in the United States. The small card, made to be collected, depicts a pink bird and includes a dog and what appear to be buckets against ornate backdrops. The late 19th century was an era of rapid industrialization and expansion, which increased the circulation of both goods and images. Cigarette cards such as these were a novel form of advertising that tapped into the burgeoning culture of consumerism. The collecting craze offered an escape from the day to day for many, but we must remember that this pastime was built on the back of addictive products. These images are valuable historical resources that can be analyzed alongside other sources such as newspapers, advertisements, and company records. Examining the context surrounding the production and consumption of images like these can help us to understand the social and cultural values of the time.