Whoever designed this wonderful ad for Benjamin Payn was obviously quite delighted with his artistry. And it was quite the blend of products that Mr. Payn sold from his location at 7 Broadway. He manufactured tobacco, snuff, and cigars, as well as chocolate and prepared cocoa. In addition, he sold pipes, matches, mustard, plug tobacco, imported cigars, snuff boxes, &c.!
An odd mix, but I can accept that he somehow just ventured into chocolate and cocoa. But how does the mustard fit in? Hard to imagine going to the tobacconist in search of some mustard. But a look through the 1863 directory finds a surprising number of places selling mustard, so perhaps it was just a profitable item in the antebellum years.
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