Card Number 211, Bessie Clare, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-5) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cameo Cigarettes 1880s

This card, printed by W. Duke, Sons & Co., presents Bessie Clare, an actress, as part of a series promoting Cameo Cigarettes. Clare holds a fan, a ubiquitous symbol across cultures, used for practical purposes, yet laden with layers of meaning. The fan appears in ancient Greece as a symbol of Bacchus. It makes its way into aristocratic circles throughout Europe, where it turns into a complex language of courtship. The fan, as a tool of non-verbal communication, transcends mere utility, becoming a prop in the theater of social interaction. Gestures like covering the mouth, signaling coy concealment, or a rapid flutter, indicating agitation. These are coded messages, an unspoken dialogue between individuals navigating the intricacies of courtship. The psychological undercurrents here are palpable: each flutter and flourish becomes a projection of desire, fear, or longing—a silent language revealing emotional states hidden beneath a veneer of social propriety. The fan reminds us of the cyclical nature of symbols—how they resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings, echoing through the corridors of history.