Kate Vaughan in Colors of the American Canoe Association, from the Yacht Colors of the World series (N140) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1890

This chromolithograph of Kate Vaughan, in the colors of the American Canoe Association, was made by W. Duke & Sons, around the turn of the century, to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco. Produced in a period that saw the expansion of commodity culture alongside new leisure activities, the card is a fascinating glimpse into the social life of its moment. We see the image creates meaning through cultural references to sport, fashion and performance. Vaughan was a celebrated dancer, and the American Canoe Association connected to a vogue for outdoor pursuits among the middle classes. The card depicts a particular slice of society marked by consumerism and social aspiration. Looking at ephemera like this helps the historian to recover some of the texture of everyday life, beyond the conventional focus on political and economic elites. The image shows us the world of recreation, advertising and celebrity that was emerging at the time.