Australia, Great Britain, from the Famous Ships series (N50) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1895

This is a printed card showing the ship ‘Australia, Great Britain,’ which was part of a series of collectible cards included in packs of Virginia Brights Cigarettes. These cards, produced in the United States, reflect the country’s fascination with British imperialism and naval power. They circulated at a time when the United States was emerging as a global power itself, emulating and competing with the British Empire. The ship embodies British technological prowess and military might, essential for maintaining control over its vast empire, including Australia. As historians, we might explore the manufacturing of such collectibles and the global economy that sustained them. Cigarettes relied on tobacco grown in colonized lands, and the advertising imagery reinforced imperial ideologies. Further research into the Allen & Ginter company and its marketing strategies would reveal the connections between consumer culture, imperial power, and the everyday circulation of such images.