Caricatured Chilean figure, 1 Escudo, from the series Coins of All Nations (N72, variation 2) for Duke brand cigarettes
Medium
Commercial color lithograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 3/4 x 1 1/2 in. (7 x 3.8 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
63.350.204.72.20
Tags
Art Historical Context
This charming chromolithograph, titled *Caricatured Chilean Figure, 1 Escudo*, is a tiny gem from W. Duke, Sons & Co.'s 1889 "Coins of Nations" series (N, variation 2). as a promotional insert for Duke brand cigarettes, it depicts a stylized, exaggerated Chilean man holding a 1 Escudo coin, the era's fascination with global currencies and exotic cultures. These cards were wildly popular collectibles, distributed in cigarette packs to entice smokers—especially young collectors—and boost brand loyalty during the booming American tobacco industry. Printed in vibrant commercial color lithography ...
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...