Siberia, 5 Kopeks, from the series Coins of All Nations (N72, variation 1) 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
63.350.204.72.86
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 19th advertising with *Siberia, 5 Kopeks, from the Coins of All Nations (72, variation 1, a petite commercial color lithograph produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. in 1889. This tiny card—measuring just 2 3/4 x 1 1/2 inches—was tucked into Duke brand cigarette packs as part of a popular series showcasing coins from around the globe. Featuring a Siberian 5-kopek coin alongside images of men, it tapped into the era's fascination with numismatics and exotic locales, turning everyday smokes into collectibles for enthusiasts. Chromolithography, the medium here, revolution...
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...