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

This chromolithograph of a skate, an elasmobranch fish, was made by the Allen & Ginter Company, sometime in the late 19th century, as a promotional trading card. These cards were inserted into cigarette packs, incentivizing repeat purchases and brand loyalty. Allen & Ginter were one of the first firms to mass produce them, reflecting new printing technologies and marketing strategies. The company helped create new consumer habits in an era of mass production and advertising. As well as the natural world, the cards celebrated commercial products and figures from the world of sport. The fish are represented naturalistically here but in a highly artificial and stylized manner, with the superimposition of an idealized painting of a skate on an allegorical vignette. Such cards offer a window onto the social and economic life of the Gilded Age. Social historians consult trade publications, company records, and advertising archives to understand better the cultural impact of these cards and the firms that produced them.