Sawfish, from Fish from American Waters series (N39) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1889

This is a printed card of a Sawfish, part of a series made for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes. These cards were produced using industrialized printing techniques, made to be included in cigarette packs, and collected by consumers. The flat, graphic style of this image reflects the need for mass production. Note the regular pattern of the background and the simplified form of the sawfish itself. The dimensions were dictated by the size of the cigarette packs, and were made as cheaply as possible, resulting in a distinctly commercial aesthetic. In this context, the focus is on creating an alluring collectible item that will encourage sales of tobacco, rather than celebrating the beauty or complexity of the Sawfish. The card embodies an intersection between consumerism, mass production, and the popularization of natural history. It reflects the way in which images of nature became commodified.