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

Editor: So this is "War Club, from the Arms of All Nations series," a color print from 1887 by Allen & Ginter Cigarettes. It features a figure holding a war club. It seems exoticizing. What's your take? Curator: This print reveals much about the intertwined histories of colonialism, commerce, and image-making. Let’s consider Allen & Ginter's production methods. Cigarette cards like this were mass-produced; this "War Club" was just one of a whole series. Editor: Right, a collectible item! So, the material is a cheap print, included with a consumer product… Curator: Exactly! And consider the social context. These cards were distributed during the height of European and American imperialism. The depiction of this man, likely a generalized representation of a Pacific Islander, exoticizes his weaponry as something “primitive.” How do you think this card influenced consumer perception? Editor: I imagine it reinforced ideas of cultural hierarchies – a so-called civilized nation peddling its wares, juxtaposed with this "exotic" other. It's not just a picture; it’s a little piece of propaganda in every pack. Curator: Precisely! The image's materiality belies the social relationships it supported: a colonial vision made palatable through mass consumption and mass distribution, which created wealth, supporting these very biased viewpoints. What do you take away from that? Editor: It's unsettling how a seemingly innocuous object, like a cigarette card, reveals the complicated dynamics of production and consumption, further propagating stereotypes. I hadn’t thought about it in such a tangible, economic way before.