Bowie Knife, from the Arms of All Nations series (N3) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1887

This “Bowie Knife” trading card was made by Allen and Ginter, lithographers, for insertion in cigarette packs. These cards were printed using lithography, a commercial method of printing that involves drawing on a stone or metal plate with a greasy substance, applying ink, and then pressing the image onto paper. This was a means of production well-suited to mass manufacturing. And yet, the image is skillfully done. We see a frontiersman rolling up his sleeve, holding his namesake blade. Its metallic sheen and the figure’s assured grip speaks of the rugged individualism associated with this figure. But of course, the card’s purpose was to sell cigarettes, a mass produced product marketed to a wide public. This contrast raises questions about the romantic image of self-reliance versus the reality of consumer culture at the time. Considering the card's production and distribution helps us understand how it functioned within a larger economic system. It makes us think critically about the interplay between craft, commerce, and the construction of identity in a rapidly industrializing world.