Delaware, from the Industries of States series (N117) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century American advertising with *Delaware, from the Industries of States series (N)*, a charming commercial color lithograph produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. in 1889. This petite card, measuring just 4 3/16 × 2 1/2 inches, was created to promote the company's "Honest Long Tobacco." Part of a popular series highlighting state industries, it likely features allegorical imagery of Delaware—perhaps a poised woman with shields, evoking the state's proud heritage and industrial prowess through symbolic Victorian iconography. Chromolithography, the medium here, was a revolutionary color printing technique that allowed mass production of eye-catching visuals at low cost, fueling the golden age of tobacco trade cards. These ephemera were tucked into cigarette packs or handed out at stores, blending patriotism with product promotion amid America's booming consumer culture. Duke Sons & Co., a tobacco giant, used such cards to build brand loyalty, collecting fervor turning them into cultural treasures. Today, this piece from The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art reminds us how everyday advertising captured national identity. A tiny window into Gilded Age commerce, it showcases the artistry of commerce—where state pride met savvy marketing.

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...