Caricatured Arabian, 1 Dirhem, from the series Coins of All Nations (N72, variation 2) for Duke brand cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century advertising with *Caricatured Arabian,1 Dirhem*, a tiny gem from W. Duke, Sons &.'s *Coins of All Nations* (N72, variation2), produced in 1889. This commercial color lithograph, measuring just 2 3/4 x 1 1/2 inches, was tucked into Duke cigarette packs as a collectible insert, enticing smokers—especially young men—with exotic imagery of global currencies. Duke, a pioneering American tobacco firm, revolutionized the industry with machine-rolled cigarettes and innovative marketing, turning ephemera like these cards into cultural phenomena. Chromolithography, the medium here, allowed for bold, multicolored prints at scale, capturing a stylized Arabian figure alongside a historical 1 Dirhem coin in vivid detail. The caricature reflects Orientalist tropes popular in the Gilded Age, blending education on world coins with playful exaggeration to spark collector fervor. Today, preserved in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, it highlights how everyday commerce fueled mass visual culture, bridging art, history, and consumer habits in an era of imperial fascination. A delightful snapshot of America's ad-driven past!

About the Artist

W. Duke, Sons & Co. · 1870–1920

**W. Duke, Sons & Co.: Pioneers of Chromolithographic Trade Card Art** W. Duke, Sons & Co., an American tobacco manufacturer, emerged from the entrepreneurial vision of Washington Duke (1820–1905) and his sons in Durham, North Carolina. After the Civil War, Washington abandoned farming in 1874 to join his eldest son, Brodie L. Duke, in the burgeoning tobacco trade, establishing a factory that for...