C.H. Heins, Champion Fancy Skater, from the Champions of Games and Sports series (N184, Type 2) issued by W.S. Kimball & Co. 1887

This late 19th century lithograph, C.H. Heins, Champion Fancy Skater, was made by W.S. Kimball & Co. as part of a series of collectible cards included in cigarette packs. It is a chromolithograph, a color printing technique that relies on the precise layering of multiple stones or plates to create a final image. The image is built up through a labor intensive process of drawing and printing each color separately. These cards were immensely popular, reflecting a burgeoning consumer culture. What I find interesting is how these cards blur the lines between advertising, portraiture, and popular entertainment. The act of collecting and trading these cards became a pastime, fueled by the expansion of industrial production and marketing. The image of C.H. Heins, the champion skater, thus becomes a commodity itself, circulated within the flows of capital and consumption. This small card reminds us that even seemingly trivial objects can offer insights into the social and economic forces shaping our world.