The penniless author whose fictional character helped sell American tobacco

Gail & Ax’s Little Joker card

Around 1900, Little Joker tobacco launched an advertising campaign built on the outrageous adventures of Baron Munchausen, the fictional German braggart whose impossible exploits had captivated readers since 1785.

The character originated from Rudolf Erich Raspe’s book, The Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen, which com…