Card Number 137, Waldermere, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-1) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This is a promotional card for Cross Cut Cigarettes, issued by Duke Sons & Co. sometime between 1870 and 1920. It features an actress named Waldemere. Commercial cards like these became popular in the late 19th century, and often featured actresses, athletes, or other popular figures, capitalizing on the cult of celebrity that was beginning to emerge at the time. The cards functioned as collectibles and encouraged brand loyalty. This card is a window into the marketing strategies of the time, and into the ways in which images of women were used to sell products. The actress's carefully constructed image and her association with the cigarette brand would have been strategically linked. To understand this image better, we could research the history of tobacco advertising, the role of women in marketing, and the performance career of the actress. This is just one small piece of paper, but it speaks volumes about the social and economic landscape of its time.