"I save yer the core," from the Terrors of America set (N136) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1888 - 1889

"I save yer the core," a promotional card for Honest Long Cut Tobacco, was created around 1888 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. Part of a series entitled "Terrors of America," this card encapsulates late 19th-century anxieties surrounding childhood and class. The rosy-cheeked boy, caught mid-bite into a juicy apple, seems harmless enough at first glance. Yet, his tattered clothing and mischievous grin hint at a more complex narrative. His dialect, "I save yer the core," suggests a world of street urchins, poverty, and perhaps even petty crime. These cards were designed to appeal to adult consumers, but they also reveal anxieties about the changing social landscape of America. The image plays into stereotypes about poor children while also acknowledging their resourcefulness and agency. This work is a potent reminder of the social and economic disparities that existed in America at the time, made palatable through the lens of commercial marketing. The boy’s core saving may have ensured his survival, his childhood, and innocence.