Assyrian House, from the Habitations of Man series (N113) issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Smoking and Chewing Tobacco

Art Historical Context

This small but vibrant commercial color lithograph from 1890 belongs to the “Habitations of Man” series (N113), a set of trading cards issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Smoking and Chewing Tobacco. Measuring just over four by two-and-a-half inches, the card depicts an “Assyrian House,” part of a larger educational effort that introduced American consumers to architectural styles from around the world and across history. Produced by the Giles Company through the newly efficient process of color lithography, the image combines bold hues and crisp detail to make an ancient dwelling both attractive and memorable. In the late nineteenth century, tobacco manufacturers pioneered the use of colorful cards as marketing tools, inserting them into cigarette and tobacco packages to encourage brand loyalty and repeat purchases. The Duke company, soon absorbed into the American Tobacco Company, was especially inventive in choosing themes that appealed to collectors—here blending archaeology, geography, and everyday life. Although created as ephemeral advertising, such prints now offer a fascinating glimpse into how popular culture packaged knowledge and exotic imagery for mass audiences. Today this card resides in the Metropolitan Museum’s Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, where it illustrates the intersection of commerce, design, and public education at the dawn of modern advertising.

About the Artist

The Giles Company|W. Duke, Sons & Co.|American Tobacco Company (American|American) · 1870 |1800 –1920 |1900

New York and Durham, N.C.|New York, NY