Coloured print of a Highland soldier and a black slave, smoking a pipe and taking snuff

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Coloured print of a Highland soldier in North America, printed and published by W. Davidson of Alnwick, c. 1790.

At this time the kilted soldier represented North America, owing to the raising of Highland regiments to serve there, and as such he often appears in advertisements for tobacco or tobacconists. His dress is reasonably accurate, although the feathers in his bonnet are fanciful.

The Highland soldier can be seen taking snuff, whilst in the background a black slave who works on the tobacco plantation is smoking a pipe, and tobacco leaves can be seen in the barrels. There are more tobacco leaves in the headdress worn by the slave.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-000-100-261-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: The Thistle at War
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  M.1949.878
• Date: c. 1790
  
• Material: Paper
  Print
  
• Dimensions: 264 mm H x 198 mm W
  
• What: Print
  
• Subject: Prints / History - Military / Tobacco
  
• Who:
• Where: United States of America
  
• Event:
• Description: Coloured print of a Highlander and a black slave, smoking a pipe and taking snuff, possibly an advertisement for tobacco, c. 1790.
  
• References:
  • McCorry, Helen (ed.) The thistle at war: an anthology of the Scottish experience of war, in the services and at home. Edinburgh, NMS, 1997 
  • Wood, Stephen The Scottish soldier. Manchester: Archive Publications with NMS, 1987 
• Translations:
• Related Records: