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

"Nine Hearts" from the "Playing Cards" series, a promotional artwork for W. Duke, Sons and Co.’s Turkish Cross-Cut Cigarettes, showcases a simple design. Created in 1888, the artwork features nine red hearts on a cream-colored background, with a stamp for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the upper right corner. The series aimed to popularize the brand and its cigarettes through a familiar deck of cards, offering a glimpse into 19th-century marketing techniques. This piece exemplifies the use of everyday objects as promotional tools, reflecting the era's fascination with tobacco products and the increasing prominence of advertising in the American landscape.