Michigan, from the Industries of States series (N117) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1889

Curator: What a find! Here we have a trade card, "Michigan, from the Industries of States series" issued in 1889 by Duke Sons & Co. to promote their Honest Long Cut Tobacco. Editor: It has this romantic, almost ethereal quality, wouldn’t you say? The colors are soft, and the figure looks like a goddess from another era, leaning against the coat of arms. Curator: Indeed. This is allegorical, fitting within a longer tradition of representing states as female figures, a kind of personification of the idea of Michigan, heavily steeped in classical imagery. Look closely, and you will see familiar tropes employed from classical art. Editor: And how fascinating to see that the figure isn't just representing the state, but it's tied to industry as well. The words "Farming & Fishing" anchor it, juxtaposed to the mythological feel given by her garb and scroll. I'd imagine, placing this on a tobacco product aimed to suggest something wholesome. Curator: Exactly. It’s fascinating how these cards served a dual purpose, both promoting the brand and instilling a sense of regional pride, tapping into emerging American nationalism and state identity. We see those symbols encoded everywhere: the elk, the bald eagle, the rising sun over the water all represent statehood and potential, as do the Latin mottos that are, of course, totally invisible to the naked eye. Editor: It's also a brilliant distillation of academic art. It simplifies idealized forms in the state coat of arms while subtly advancing an agenda of industrial growth, appealing to different levels of society. The overall design suggests an embrace of modernity, perhaps aimed at reassuring customers. Curator: Precisely! It shows how consumerism cleverly appropriates classical symbols for marketing purposes, blending them seamlessly with state emblems to influence and associate specific product features with American values. It creates a powerful visual message. Editor: In a way, seeing how those values were actively, politically constructed through mass-produced imagery of all types truly underlines how commerce is inextricably woven with our collective identities. A seemingly innocent trade card actually does quite a bit! Curator: It’s a small window into the larger forces that shaped our understanding of culture and states. I find these relics of advertisement strangely fascinating as indicators for broader cultural phenomena and collective self-regard.