Allen & Ginter a prominent American tobacco company known for producing collectible trade cards in the late 19th century. Founded by John Allen and Lewis Ginter in the 1870s, the company gained widespread popularity for including illustrated cards in their cigarette packs as a marketing strategy. These cards featured a diverse range of subjects, including famous personalities, animals, and scenes from around the world. The cultural impact of Allen & Ginter lies in their pioneering use of trading cards as a means of advertising, inadvertently creating a phenomenon that would eventually evolve into modern sports and collectible card culture. These illustrated cards not only promoted the company's products but also became sought-after collectibles, contributing to the rise of visual culture and advertising in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
