Rope Climbing, from the Gymnastic Exercises series (N77) for Duke brand cigarettes 1887

"Rope Climbing" is a chromolithograph from the "Gymnastic Exercises" series of trade cards produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. in 1887 to promote their Duke brand cigarettes. This card, like others in the series, uses an athletic figure to represent the brand's strength and vitality. The bold colors and simple design make it visually appealing, while the text at the bottom emphasizes Duke's dominance in the cigarette market. These cards were distributed as collectibles, and the series is considered an early example of cigarette advertising using visual imagery.