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

"Golden Plover, from the Game Birds series (N40) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes" is a chromolithograph card from a series of trading cards produced by Allen & Ginter in the late 19th century to promote their brand of cigarettes. The card features a colorful illustration of a Golden Plover, a bird species popular for hunting, standing in a field, while a hunting dog and gun lay in wait below. This card, printed between 1888 and 1890, is an example of early advertising using trade cards. This particular card, part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, is small in size (7.3 x 8.3 cm) and exemplifies the detailed illustrations characteristic of the era's trade cards. The card showcases the artistry used in promotional materials and provides a glimpse into the popular hunting culture of the late 19th century.