Ace of Spades, from the Transparent Playing Cards series (N220) issued by Kinney Bros. 1888

The Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company produced this Ace of Spades as part of a series of “Transparent Playing Cards,” sometime between 1869 and 2011. More than just tools for games of chance, playing cards like this one reflect the cultural values and power structures of their time. During the late 19th century, tobacco companies often included trade cards in their products as a form of advertising. These cards, collected and traded much like baseball cards today, provide a glimpse into the era's aesthetics, anxieties, and social norms. But who was the intended audience? Were people of color, immigrants, or women welcome at the table? What unspoken rules dictated who got to play, and who was left out of the game? Reflect on the complex layers of meaning embedded in this seemingly simple object. Consider the stories it tells, both about the past and our present moment.