A Collection of Vintage Ruby Queen Cigarette Cards

A delightful reminder of advertising campaigns from days gone by, this framed set of 24 vintage cigarette cards depicts a range of lovelies used to promote the sale of Ruby Queen cigarettes. This low-priced, American-made brand was the largest selling cigarette brand in China in the early 20th century. Mass production made cigarettes cheap, affordable and more legal and more respectable alternative to opium. Incentives to buy came in many forms, including cards portraying contemporary women, sometimes composed of classically beautiful Chinese faces paired with modern-attired bodies. These images were intended to promote smoking as part of a healthful and modern lifestyle, and the cards were eagerly collected as objects d’art.