1880s Allen & Ginter Tobacco Premium Album Collection (8)

Sold For:

$1,020

Year:

1888

Auction:

2022 Spring

Lot #:

3182

Category:

Non-Sports Cards/Sheets/Card Artwork

Collection of eight nineteenth-century nonsports premium tobacco albums, all issued by Allen & Ginter. In the 1880s, in addition to insert cards, tobacco companies offered special albums available only by mail in exchange for coupons (usually 75 or 100) that were packed with tobacco (one coupon per pack). Each premium album features images of all of the subjects (usually 50 different) in a given set, along with additional background artwork. These souvenir albums were the top prizes offered by the tobacco companies and have long been highly prized by collectors. The offered albums presented a diverse range of topics, including birds, horses, historical figures, famous editors, etc. Many collectors are familiar with the few albums featuring baseball players as they are very popular and expensive. The nonsports albums are just as scarce, yet far more reasonable in price.This substantial collection includes the following albums (all have their original binding string except two that are a foldout design): 1) A1 American Editors, 1st Series (6 x 9 inches). Vg. 2) A3 Birds of America (6 x 9 inches). The birdcage-shaped album is composed of nine pages featuring birds, an advertising page, plus two covers, all attached by a round metal clasp. Vg. 3) A5 City Flags (8.5 x 7.5 inches). Gd. 4) A18 World's Racers (horses, 6 x 8 inches). The front and back covers are detached from the binding string at one of the eyelets. The lower-right corner is missing on the back cover. Fr. 5) A19 Floral Beauties (8 x 11 inches). Includes original mailing envelope. Pr condition due to front and back covers detached from binding string. 6) A25 World's Inventors (9-1/4 x 6 inches). Fr. 7-8) Two Novelties Beauties (6.25 x 9 inches). Foldout design. We are not certain of our identification of these two advertising foldout albums. There are no specific card series mentioned, and there are portrait images of beauties on various items (tea kettle, globe, lighthouse, etc.). These Allen & Ginter foldout "albums" look very much like they could serve as standup counter advertising displays. Both are in Pr condition due to some pages separating at the seams.As is often the case with these albums, most have some cover wear, and this is the cause for much of the downgrading. In most cases the interior pages are much better than suggested by the overall grade assigned each album. This is an impressive group of nonsport tobacco premium albums. Total: 8 albums. Reserve $300.