New Jersey, from the Industries of States series (N117) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco
Medium
Commercial color lithograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 4 3/16 × 2 1/2 in. (10.6 × 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
63.350.206.117.8
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the late 19th century, tobacco companies like W., Sons & Co. revolutionized advertising by inserting colorful collectible cards into cigarette packs, turning everyday purchases into a treasure hunt for enthusiasts. This petite *New Jersey* card, part of the *Industries of States* (N117) from 1889, promoted "Honest Long Cut Tobacco while celebrating state pride. At just 4 3/16 × 2 1/2 inches, it exemplifies ephemera—once-discarded promotional items now cherished for their snapshot of Gilded Age commerce and culture. Produced as a commercial color lithograph, the card likely features allegor...
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...