Life of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, from the Histories of Poor Boys and Famous People series of booklets (N79) for Duke brand cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th American advertising with this charming chromolithograph booklet, *Life of Henry Wadsworth Long*, from the *Histories of Boys and Famous People* series (N79). Produced in 1888 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. in collaboration with Knapp & Company this petite ephemera—measuring 2¾ × 1½ inches when closed—was tucked into Duke brand cigarette packs as a promotional giveaway. Its vivid commercial color lithography brought affordable, eye-catching illustrations to everyday consumers, showcasing portraits and biographical vignettes of rags-to-riches figures like the beloved poet Longfellow. Chromolithography, a pioneering technique layering colored inks through multiple lithographic stones, allowed for the rich hues and detailed portraits that made these booklets collectible treasures. Part of a broader trend in tobacco marketing, the N79 series inspired loyalty among smokers by blending education with entertainment, highlighting self-made successes from humble origins. Longfellow, known for epic poems like *Evangeline* and *The Song of Hiawatha*, embodied the American dream, making him a perfect subject. Today, this rarity resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, a gift celebrating the overlooked artistry of trade cards and prints. It offers a window into Gilded Age commerce, where art met consumerism in the palm of your hand.

About the Artist

W. Duke, Sons & Co.|Knapp & Company · 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...