Bertha Ricci in Colors of Royal Belgian Yacht Club, from the Yacht Colors of the World series (N140) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco
Medium
Commercial color lithograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 4 in. × 2 1/2 in. (10.1 × 6.3 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
63.350.207.140.34
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the late 19th century, tobacco companies like W., Sons & Co. revolutionized advertising with collectible cards tucked into cigarette packs, turning everyday purchases into a treasure hunt for enthusiasts. This vibrant *Bertha Ricci in Colors of Belgian Yacht Club* (1890) is a gem from their *Yacht Colors of the World* series (N140), promoting "Honest Long Cut Tobacco." Measuring just 4 x 2½ inches, this commercial color lithograph captures the elegance of international yachting culture, featuring a woman's profile—likely Bertha Ricci herself—adorned in the club's distinctive flag colors, bl...
About the Artist
W. Duke, Sons & Co. · 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...