Jack Havlin, Pugilist, from World's Champions, Series 2 (N29) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1888

This is Jack Havlin, Pugilist, a chromolithograph card produced by Allen & Ginter in the United States as part of their World's Champions series. These cards were originally included in cigarette packs, acting as promotional material, but they also reflect late 19th-century society’s fascination with celebrity and athleticism. The image presents Havlin as a figure of strength and health, aligning him with the aspirational values marketed to consumers. But let's think about this in a wider context: Cigarette companies used these cards to build brand loyalty while also capitalizing on the growing popularity of sports. The cards also served as a form of social currency, as people collected and traded them. We might also consider how the cards offered a new form of visual culture, democratizing images and making them accessible to a wider audience. Understanding the layers of meaning embedded within this image requires us to delve into the archives of commercial ephemera and advertising history. By doing so, we can better understand the cultural values and economic forces that shaped this small but significant piece of visual culture.