Counter-Archives in
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Duke’s Cigarette Cards
Coins of All Nations, 1889

Case Study #1: Curation

The curated selection of photographs, prints, and drawings for each nation are chosen from the NYPL Digital Collection by doing a keyword search for the nation featured on the cigarette card. Results are narrowed down to the decades preceding and following 1889, the year Duke’s Cigarette Cards, Coins of All Nations was released.
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  • Do the curated materials share visual characteristics with the cigarette card? How are they different?
  • What is the point of view of the curated materials? What narratives are presented?
  • Does seeing the curated materials offer an alternative impression of the caricature on the cigarette card?
  • How might these images have influenced Americans’ idea of people from this nation?
  • Choose a card and create your own set of curated materials using the NYPL Digital Collections.

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Hungary.

Hungary.

Cigarette card, 1889

Coins of All Nations (Duke's Cigarettes)

George Arents Collection, The New York Public Library. "Hungary." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1850 - 1959. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47de-350f-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

Two local women.

Two local women.

Photograph, 1913

Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library. "Two local women." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1913. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e2-76fe-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

Francis Kossuth, leader of the party which demands independence for Hungary, son of the famou Magyar patriot, Louis Kossuth.

Francis Kossuth, leader of the party which demands independence for Hungary, son of the famou Magyar patriot, Louis Kossuth.

Photograph, 1895 - 1913

The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Print Collection, The New York Public Library. "Francis Kossuth, leader of the party which demands independence for Hungary, son of the famou Magyar patriot, Louis Kossuth" The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1895 - 1913. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e2-a767-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

Young man in his szur.

Young man in his szur.

Print, 1903

The New York Public Library. "Young man in his szur" The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1903. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e1-144b-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

Magyar women, Szekeley.

Magyar women, Szekeley.

Photograph, 1903

The New York Public Library. "Magyar women, Szekeley" The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1903. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e1-1447-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

Ungarin aus der Theisgegend.

Ungarin aus der Theisgegend.

Print, 1884

Strelisky, Lipót (Hungarian photographer and goldsmith, active ca. 1840-1850) (Photographer); Brend'amour, R. (Richard), 1831-1915 (Artist)

The New York Public Library. "Ungarin aus der Theisgegend" The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1884. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e1-144e-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99