Tumblers, from the Musical Instruments series (N82) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888

This is a lithograph trade card made by W. Duke, Sons & Co. in the late 19th century. It was created as part of a series of promotional cards inserted in Duke brand cigarette packs. The image depicts a woman in a polka dot dress arranging tumblers on a table. Trade cards like these were colorful and eye-catching and became a popular advertising medium during the rise of industrial capitalism in America. Mass-produced, they capitalized on a growing consumer culture, seeking to associate products like cigarettes with images of beauty, leisure, and sophistication. Duke was one of the first American tobacco companies to mass-produce cigarettes and use aggressive advertising techniques. The company's marketing strategies were aimed at expanding the consumer base to include women and the working class. To fully understand these objects, historians examine the social and economic conditions that gave rise to new forms of advertising and consumerism. We might also look at archival material that shows the company's marketing strategies. In this way, we come to understand the cultural role of the image.