A Pot Boiler, from the Jokes series (N87) for Duke brand cigarettes 1890

This small card titled, "A Pot Boiler" from the Jokes series, was made for Duke brand cigarettes around the turn of the century. It's printed on thin card stock, and like all such ephemera, it only survives because someone thought to save it. Consider its original context: mass-produced as a collectable insert in a packet of cigarettes. This was a moment when industrial production started churning out consumer goods. It’s easy to overlook the labor that went into it. From the pulping of trees to make paper, to the printing process that rendered the image. The image depicts a hand holding playing cards. It would have been printed using lithography, a technique that allows for relatively quick reproduction, but nonetheless involved skilled labor. The card's title, "A Pot Boiler," suggests a joke or riddle, intended to entertain while also promoting the Duke brand. These cards aren't high art, but they reflect the increasing emphasis on branding and consumerism. So next time you light up, think of the many hands that brought you that pleasure!