Samos, from Flags of All Nations, Series 2 (N10) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1890

Editor: This is "Samos, from Flags of All Nations" by Allen & Ginter, dating back to 1890. It's a print using coloured pencils, originally a cigarette card. What strikes me is the way the flag dominates the scene, yet it's presented in such a casual, almost illustrative manner. What do you see when you look at it? Curator: I see a convergence of consumerism, nationalism, and the exotic. The very materiality of this object – a small, mass-produced card given away with cigarettes – speaks to a society increasingly defined by industrial processes and global trade. The depiction of the Samos flag isn't just about national identity; it's about branding. Allen & Ginter used these images to sell a lifestyle, linking their product with a romantic vision of the world. What labor do you think goes into such cards? Editor: Well, you have the growing and processing of tobacco, and then the entire chain of creating, printing, and distributing these cards! Curator: Exactly! Think of the number of hands this passes through. The coloured pencil rendering, while seemingly simple, would have required skilled illustrators adapting to the pressures of mass production. How does this impact your view of Orientalism in the piece? Editor: That's fascinating. I hadn't considered it so directly linked to the cigarette industry's operations. The camel caravan now feels less like a genuine depiction of Samos and more like a manufactured image for consumption, parallel to how the cigarettes themselves are produced and consumed. Curator: Precisely! By examining the object's materiality and its place within a larger economic system, we gain a more critical understanding of its representation of culture and nation. The exotic is repackaged as a collectible commodity, reinforcing colonial power dynamics. Editor: That makes me rethink the entire image. It's less about the place itself, Samos, and more about how the company presented the place to its consumer. Curator: Right. It's a system of value creation built on many levels: material, labor, and representation all contributing to profit. The seemingly innocent image becomes a testament to industrial capitalism and its global reach.