Pomegranate: Come to Me, from the series Floral Beauties and Language of Flowers (N75) for Duke brand cigarettes 1892

Curator: What strikes me immediately about this small print is its rather intense color palette for what I would expect from the late 19th century, so bright and concentrated, though strangely compelling! Editor: And that's what makes it memorable! This is a trade card, printed in 1892 by the American Tobacco Company, part of a series called "Floral Beauties and Language of Flowers." The full title is "Pomegranate: Come to Me." These were inserted into Duke brand cigarette packs, primarily to stiffen the packaging, but they quickly became collectibles. Curator: So, utilitarian at its origin, but also encouraging consumer loyalty through collection—classic branding. Tell me more about the printing process, because the reproduction of detail on such a small scale must have required skill and ingenuity. Editor: The printing process would have involved chromolithography, allowing for the reproduction of images in multiple colors, creating a vibrant and appealing product to catch the customer’s eye. Given the scale, it really is a stunning material achievement. Curator: And it’s interesting how the symbolic value of the pomegranate, often associated with fertility and abundance, is deployed within this advertisement. Was this common? What flowers usually advertised the cigarette trade? Editor: The Victorian era was obsessed with the "language of flowers," assigning meanings to different blooms. This trade card series aimed to associate sophistication and beauty with cigarette brands. Using pomegranate blooms linked Duke cigarettes to love, allure, and perhaps a hint of exoticism that tobacco had acquired. The image subtly conveys desire. Curator: It really makes me think about what "exotic" meant in 1892 versus now. Who exactly was being told to "come" where? These cards circulated broadly, reflecting not just aesthetic preferences but socio-economic codes that we tend to underestimate. Editor: Yes, by circulating these cards, Duke cigarettes infiltrated everyday life. Advertising at its most pervasive. But even today, with all of our modern technology, the delicate quality of such a humble image endures! Curator: I agree; its compact material form hints at layers of social and cultural stories within it. A potent, small object of consumer culture indeed.