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

Art Historical Context

Step into the bustling world of 1889 with *American Cruiser (Saluting, a vibrant chromolithograph from the *Types of Vessels* seriesN139). Produced by W. Duke Sons Co. and lithographed by Knapp & Company, this tiny card—measuring just 3 7/16 × 2 3/8 inches—was a clever marketing tool to promote "Honest Long Cut Tobacco Tucked into cigarette packs, these ephemera prints captivated collectors while subtly boosting sales in the competitive tobacco trade. Chromolithography, the medium here, revolutionized commercial art with its ability to layer vivid colors affordably, mimicking paintings on a mass scale. This technique brought the majestic lines of an American cruiser—poised in salute with billowing smoke and flags flying—to life, evoking naval pride during the Gilded Age's era of expanding U.S. maritime power. Today, preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this unassuming gem highlights how everyday advertising fueled popular culture and hobbyist collecting. It reminds us how ships symbolized national strength, turning a simple tobacco insert into a snapshot of history.

About the Artist

Giles|W. Duke, Sons & Co.|Knapp & Company (British) · 1718 –1780

British, 1718–1780