The Giles Company

The Giles Company was a printing or design firm active circa 1890, specializing in commercial graphic art intended for mass consumer distribution. The company is primarily recognized for its output of collectible trade cards and advertising ephemera.

A substantial portion of the output attributed to The Giles Company prints and preserved in institutional collections is derived from the comprehensive Habitations of Man series (N113). This series of prints was commissioned by W. Duke, Sons & Co. for the specific commercial purpose of promoting Honest Long Cut Smoking and Chewing Tobacco. The subjects of the series depict diverse architectural structures spanning various cultures and eras. Notable works represented include American Cottage Home, American Farm House, Arab House, Archaic Bee-Hive Huts, and Assyrian House.

Fifteen prints created by The Giles Company are documented and held in museum collections, establishing the firm’s role within the history of American commercial printmaking during the late 19th century. The Metropolitan Museum of Art notably holds examples of their work. Today, many of these historical artifacts fall into the public domain, allowing for the reproduction of high-quality prints for researchers and collectors.