Castanets and Seimseim, from the Musical Instruments series (N121) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1888

"Castanets and Seimseim," a chromolithograph from the "Musical Instruments" series, was created in 1888 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. as a trade card to promote their Honest Long Cut Tobacco brand. The card showcases a vibrant depiction of a woman playing castanets and another playing a Japanese seimseim, a three-stringed instrument. The artwork, typical of the era's trade card aesthetic, exemplifies a combination of realism and decorative elements, capturing the essence of musical instruments from diverse cultures. This piece from the Metropolitan Museum of Art provides a glimpse into the late 19th-century world of advertising and the cultural fascinations that informed it.