Order of the Crown, Germany, originally Prussian, from the World's Decorations series (N30) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1890

Editor: Here we have a decorative print from 1890, “Order of the Crown, Germany, originally Prussian” created by Allen and Ginter, using drawing, coloured pencil, and printmaking techniques. The medal itself feels quite austere and formal to me, but then there's the odd juxtaposition of it being a promotional cigarette card. How do you interpret the material and its use here? Curator: The key to understanding this piece lies precisely in its materiality and context. These cards weren’t simply advertisements; they were objects of exchange and collection. The value resided not just in the image, but in its tangible form, distributed with a product that signifies status and luxury. Consider the labor involved – from the initial design and printing to its mass production and distribution within cigarette packs. Editor: So it is more about the accessibility and means of consumption than high art? Curator: Absolutely! Cigarette cards democratized art, of sorts, placing it in the hands of a wider public than traditional art forms ever could. Think about the symbolism inherent in the medal itself. What does it represent in terms of power, privilege, and the social hierarchy of Prussian Germany? Editor: I see your point; its distribution method undermines the supposed exclusivity of the Crown. Curator: Precisely! The card collapses that distance, mass-producing an emblem of elite power for everyday consumption. How does this mass production and availability of the Order, albeit in image form, change its intended message of power and prestige? Editor: Interesting! I’d always seen it as a historical curio, but now I recognize it exposes class tension and access via an everyday object. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! Considering art's means of production certainly provides a new understanding, doesn't it?