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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Russia.

Russia.

Cigarette card, 1889

Coins of All Nations (Duke's Cigarettes)

George Arents Collection, The New York Public Library. "Russia." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1850 - 1959. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47de-352f-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

16a) Moscow.

16a) Moscow.

Photograph, 1892 - 1944

The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Photography Collection, The New York Public Library. "16a) Moscow." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1892 - 1944. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-a504-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

Aleksei Aleksandrovich, Grand Duke of Russia, 1850-1908, brother of Alexander III.

Aleksei Aleksandrovich, Grand Duke of Russia, 1850-1908, brother of Alexander III.

Photograph, 1800 - 1900

The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Photography Collection, The New York Public Library. "Aleksei Aleksandrovich, Grand Duke of Russia, 1850-1908, brother of Alexander III" The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1800 - 1899. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47d9-42d5-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

55) Sochi. Park s.-kh. opytnoi stantsii. Besedka.56) Tipy Kavkaza.

55) Sochi. Park s.-kh. opytnoi stantsii. Besedka.56) Tipy Kavkaza.

Photograph, 1892 - 1944

The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Photography Collection, The New York Public Library. "55) Sochi. Park s.-kh. opytnoi stantsii. Besedka.56) Tipy Kavkaza" The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1892 - 1944. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47db-a518-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

Tsarevich Nikolai Aleksandrovich, the future Nicholas II, Emperor of Russia, 1868-1918 (son of Alexander III and Mariia Fedorovna).

Tsarevich Nikolai Aleksandrovich, the future Nicholas II, Emperor of Russia, 1868-1918 (son of Alexander III and Mariia Fedorovna).

Photograph, 1800 - 1899

The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Photography Collection, The New York Public Library. "Tsarevich Nikolai Aleksandrovich, the future Nicholas II, Emperor of Russia, 1868-1918 (son of Alexander III and Mariia Fedorovna)" The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1800 - 1899. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47d9-42da-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

Sama morsian ; Dieselbe Braut.

Sama morsian ; Dieselbe Braut.

Print, 1898 - 1899

Reinholm, Agathon (Artist)

The New York Public Library. "Sama morsian ; Dieselbe Braut" The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1898 - 1899. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e1-1863-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99