King of Diamonds, from the Playing Cards series (N84) to promote Turkish Cross-Cut Cigarettes for W. Duke, Sons and Co. 1888

This is the King of Diamonds, one of a series of playing cards printed by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Turkish Cross-Cut Cigarettes. Made using mass production printmaking, the card’s flat graphic style showcases bold colors, sharp lines, and a repeating pattern. Look closely, and you can see how this card was intended to be both functional and promotional. The relatively cheap printing process allowed for mass production, slipping these cards into cigarette packs. The card’s design is not just aesthetically pleasing, but a clever piece of marketing: the King of Diamonds becomes a symbol of luxury, linking the act of smoking with royalty. The card's cheap production value is tied to the wider social issues of labor and consumption, where art is commodified as a marketing tool. Appreciating this card means looking beyond traditional art history to consider craft, commerce, and the everyday objects that shape our culture.