Redstart, from the Birds of America series (N37) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1888

This small chromolithograph of a redstart was made by Allen & Ginter, the Richmond, Virginia cigarette manufacturers, around 1888. Trading cards like these were inserted into cigarette packs to stiffen them and entice customers, forming collectable sets. Allen & Ginter sought to appeal to a wide audience by featuring various subjects in series, including historical figures, sports, and wildlife. The title “Birds of America” makes an unsubtle reference to John James Audubon’s famous ornithological survey, an example of cultural appropriation for commercial purposes. The company’s location in Richmond is significant. As a former capital of the Confederacy, the city’s economy depended on the tobacco industry, a legacy of slavery and the plantation system. The imagery and branding of products like these offer a window into how these histories were sanitized and commodified. Understanding this image requires research into the history of advertising, material culture, and the social and economic history of the American South.