Number 20, Mysterious Confederacy, from the Tricks with Cards series (N138) issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1887

This small chromolithograph was printed by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco in the late nineteenth century. Part of a series called Tricks with Cards, the print visualizes a simple magic trick. What is most striking about this mass-produced object is the reference to ‘mysterious confederacy’, which gives a sense of the cultural context of the time, particularly the United States’ recent Civil War. The card’s title evokes the idea of secret alliances, hinting at the anxieties and tensions lingering after the conflict. Looking into popular culture, advertisements and ephemera of this period can reveal how historical events were digested and repackaged for public consumption. One can use popular cultural references such as this to reflect on the complexities of memory and identity in a nation still grappling with its past.