A Short History of General James Garfield, from the Histories of Generals series (N114) issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Smoking and Chewing Tobacco
Medium
Commercial color lithograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 4 3/16 × 2 1/2 in. (10.7 × 6.4 cm)
Classification
Prints|Ephemera
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, Gift of Jefferson R. Burdick
Accession Number
63.350.206.114.111
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century American advertising with *A Short History of General Garfield*, a gem from the *Histories Generals* series (114). Produced in 1888 by W. Duke, Sons & Co.—pioneers in the tobacco industry—and printed by Knapp & Company, this petite commercial color lithograph (just 4 3/16 × 2 1/2 inches) served as a promotional insert for their Honest Long Cut Smoking and Che Tobacco. Tucked into product packages, these cards turned everyday purchases into collectible treasures, blending patriotism with commerce. The artwork features a portrait of James Garfield, ce...
About the Artist
W. Duke, Sons & Co.|Knapp & Company · 1870–1920
**W. Duke, Sons & Co.: Pioneers of Chromolithographic Trade Card Art** W. Duke, Sons & Co., an American tobacco manufacturer, emerged from the entrepreneurial vision of Washington Duke (1820–1905) and his sons in Durham, North Carolina. After the Civil War, Washington abandoned farming in 1874 to join his eldest son, Brodie L. Duke, in the burgeoning tobacco trade, establishing a factory that for...