Lighter, New York Bay, from the Types of Vessels series (N139) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1889

This chromolithograph was created by W. Duke, Sons & Co. as an advertisement for Honest Long Cut Tobacco. It's part of a series depicting various types of vessels, and this one captures a lighter in New York Bay. These small cards offer a fascinating glimpse into the intersection of commerce, culture, and labor at the turn of the century. Tobacco companies often used imagery that romanticized maritime life to appeal to consumers. But these images often obscured the harsh realities faced by the working class, including those who toiled on these very boats. The figures on the lighter are anonymous, reduced to types rather than individuals. This raises questions about whose stories are told and whose are left out. Do we consider the experience of the laborers on the boat, and the history of industry and trade in New York? While seemingly a simple advertisement, this card reminds us to reflect on the complex narratives embedded within everyday objects. It invites us to consider the lives and labor that underpin the commodities we consume, and to question the stories that are told, and those that are not.