Scotch Claymore, from the Arms of All Nations series (N3) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1887

This small card, part of Allen & Ginter's "Arms of All Nations" series, was made to promote cigarettes through chromolithography. It depicts a Scottish highlander with his claymore sword. Consider the context: mass-produced collectibles slipped into cigarette packs. Lithography, a printing process, allowed vibrant colors and intricate details to be replicated quickly and cheaply, mirroring the era’s burgeoning consumer culture. The tartan patterns, meticulously rendered, and the glint of the shield evoke a sense of authenticity, despite being mass-produced. The card’s materiality – thin paper, printed with ink – belies its function. It's a token of a wider system of labor, politics, and consumption, from tobacco fields to printing presses. These cards blur the boundaries between art, craft, and advertising. They remind us that even the smallest objects can be powerful carriers of cultural meaning and economic forces.