Example of card verso from Harlequin Cards, 2nd Series (N220) issued by Kinney Bros. 1889

Curator: Here we have an example of a card verso from "Harlequin Cards, 2nd Series," produced in 1889 by Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company. Editor: It looks rather austere. Pale, straightforward typography, lists of playing cards… almost feels bureaucratic rather than playful. Curator: Indeed, but let’s contextualize this within its era. Tobacco cards like these were inserted into cigarette packs as a form of advertising and collectable entertainment. The imagery used served very specific purposes within the socio-political landscape. These were often tools that communicated class aspiration, and racialized consumer habits in a way we now critically understand as profoundly unethical. Editor: Ah, I see the strategy at play. The typography—simple as it may appear—projects reliability and tradition. Note the even spacing of the lines and consistent weight of the lettering. It’s all about reinforcing the sense of quality and trustworthiness associated with the Kinney Brothers brand. Curator: Absolutely. This card also functions as a miniature catalog, subtly displaying the full set for collectors, encouraging continued purchases of their cigarettes. The gift inscription is particularly evocative, telling the social circulation of these cards. Editor: And we can't overlook the phrase "High Class Cigarettes," it certainly points to that marketing strategy. From a purely aesthetic view, the repeated words and structured list also remind me a bit of Dadaist poetry— unintentional, of course! Curator: I appreciate the visual association and the fact that this card, like much ephemera of the time, is now in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: A curious object, now thoroughly unraveled in its historical design and placement!