Scarlet Ibis, from the Game Birds series (N40) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1888 - 1890

This small chromolithograph card, depicting a Scarlet Ibis, was part of a series made by Allen & Ginter for their Richmond Straight Cut cigarettes. The chromolithography process involves using multiple lithographic stones, each inked with a different color, to create a full-color image. This was a relatively new technology at the time, allowing for mass production of vibrant images like this one. The card would have been included in cigarette packs as a collectible item, or as a way to stiffen the packaging. The image itself shows an idealized scene of hunting, with a Scarlet Ibis in the foreground and a hunter in a boat in the background. The inclusion of hunting gear at the bottom of the card situates the card's value within the activity and culture of hunting. Consider the relationship between this delicate print and the culture of mass-produced, mass-consumed cigarettes; what was gained and lost in this exchange? The card gives us an insight into the aesthetics and consumer culture of the late 19th century, where even a small, mass-produced item could carry significant cultural weight.