Marie Burroughs in Colors of the New York Yacht Club, from the Yacht Colors of the World series (N140) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 1890s advertising with *Marie Burroughs in Colors of New York Yacht Club*, a charming commercial color lithograph from. Duke, Sons & Co.'s *Yacht Colors of the* series (N140). Issued to promote Honest Long Tobacco, this petite print—measuring just 4 ×2½ inches—captures young Marie Burroughs, likely a popular child actress or model of era, dressed in the burgee colors of the prestigious New York Yacht Club.olithography, the medium's hallmark technique, allowed for bold, eye-catching hues that mimicked fine painting on a mass-produced scale, making these cards irresistible collectibles. These ephemera prints were revolutionary marketing tools, tucked into tobacco packages to boost sales and foster brand loyalty among smokers and collectors alike. Duke Sons & Co., a tobacco powerhouse, pioneered such insert cards, which often featured glamorous portraits of girls in exotic or elite themes like yachting—a symbol of Gilded Age luxury and leisure. This piece reflects how commercial art blurred lines between advertising and popular culture, turning everyday promotions into coveted keepsakes. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, it offers a window into late 19th-century consumer trends and the artistry of ephemera. A delightful snapshot of innocence meets commerce!

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...