Patrick Urquhart, from the Sea Captains series (N127) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1887

This small promotional card for Honest Long Cut Tobacco was made around the turn of the century by W. Duke, Sons & Co. On the surface, the image is a simple advertisement, combining an idealized portrait of a sea captain with a patriotic flag. Yet, the card is also a window into the commercial culture of the United States, and into the social structures of the Gilded Age. Note the moniker “American Lord Clive”. This is a direct reference to Robert Clive who secured India for the British East India Company. It's a window into the colonialist attitudes which shaped American views of the non-western world. Historical societies and business archives are important resources to understand how tobacco companies, like Duke, shaped consumer culture and promoted specific visions of American identity. By studying these materials, we can better understand the complex relationship between art, commerce, and society.