A Skeleton in the Closet / A Heavy Ring, from the Jokes series (N118) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco

This trade card, dating from around 1870-1920, was made by W. Duke Sons & Co. using chromolithography, a process which allowed colour prints to be made quickly and cheaply. The card is from a series used to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco. The very use of this new technology reminds us that these cards were churning out of factories for a mass audience, unlike traditional art which was seen as unique, and produced through the skill of the hand. In this example, we see a composition of three cartoon scenes, each with its punchline. The imagery is amusing, but the card's true purpose was to capture attention in a competitive market. So although on the surface this appears to be a mass produced item, it is only through understanding the context of its material, production and distribution, that we can truly appreciate its cultural value.