Owl Parrot, from Birds of the Tropics series (N38) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1889

This is “Owl Parrot,” a chromolithograph from the “Birds of the Tropics” series, created by Allen & Ginter for their cigarette packs. These cards, popular in the late 19th century, were both a marketing tool and a reflection of the era’s fascination with categorizing the natural world. Consider how this image participates in the cultural act of framing and possessing nature. The owl parrot, depicted in a stylized tropical setting, becomes a collectible item, a symbol of exoticism packaged for mass consumption. Allen & Ginter were pioneers in cigarette card collecting, but consider what it means to collect and commodify images of the natural world. The parrot, far from its natural habitat, is transformed into a token. These cards, while seemingly benign, speak volumes about the relationship between commerce, science, and the construction of knowledge during the height of colonialism. The image evokes questions of cultural representation, inviting us to consider the power dynamics inherent in acts of naming, classifying, and displaying the "other."