American Cruiser, Bark Rigged, from the Types of Vessels series (N139) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1889

This is a promotional card showing an American cruiser, bark rigged, made around 1900 by W. Duke, Sons & Co., lithographed with ink on paper. The card comes from a series of collectible ephemera distributed with ‘Honest Long Cut Tobacco.’ Its production would have involved industrial printing processes, including mass production of paper and inks. The image is finely detailed, particularly considering its small size. The lithographic technique allowed for the precise rendering of the ship's rigging and hull. By creating this kind of collectible, Duke & Sons cleverly turned consumers into walking advertisements, boosting the brand’s visibility. This card blurs the boundaries between commercial and artistic production, presenting a detailed illustration within a system designed to promote consumption. It invites us to consider how mass production techniques infiltrated daily life, creating new forms of value and exchange.