Auction #5 - June 2020
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/28/2020
Allen & Ginter's efforts at advertising were really second to none. They created a huge amount of trade cards and began issuing cabinet cards and insert cards into the 1880's. Their products of Richmond Straight Cut and Gem and Sunny South and other cigarettes were heavily advertised with their "Planter" logo and other efforts.
This cabinet is one of Allen & Ginter's more experimental pieces of advertising and marries their advertising with the interesting silk weaving of the Stevengraph company and it's founder--Thomas Stevens. Stevens was a local weaver in Coventry, England and wove these beautiful pieces that were ultimately used in advertisng and higher end paper pieces like postcards and wall hangings. Allen & Ginter employed him to create the piece in this lot, likely for the 1888 presidential election. The piece has some light condition issues primarily at the corners and on the lower border but it is a scarce piece of tobacco advertising history.
1890's Allen & Ginter Stevengraph Cabinet - President Cleveland
Click above for larger image.