Card Number 116, Fanny Keeves, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-2) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This card featuring Fanny Keeves was made by W. Duke, Sons & Co. in the late nineteenth century as a promotional item for Cross Cut Cigarettes. These small cards were among the first forms of mass media distributed in the United States, offering a glimpse into the values and aspirations of the time. The image depicts a popular actress, carefully posed and elaborately costumed. Such cards speak to the burgeoning celebrity culture of the late 1800s, where actors and actresses gained widespread recognition and influence. The distribution of these cards was a deliberate marketing strategy, associating the consumption of cigarettes with the glamour and prestige of the entertainment world. To understand the cultural significance of this card fully, one might consult theater archives, advertising history collections, and social studies of leisure and consumption in the Gilded Age. The value of this card lies not only in its aesthetic qualities but also in its ability to reflect the social and institutional contexts of its time.