Card Number 219, Miss Pane, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-2) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This is Card Number 219, Miss Pane, from the Actors and Actresses series, a promotional tool issued by Duke Sons & Co. for Cross Cut Cigarettes in the late 19th century. Cards like these offer insights into the cultural values and commercial strategies of the Gilded Age in the United States. The figure of Miss Pane, likely an actress, is presented in a way that conforms to the beauty standards of the time: corseted and poised, cigarette in hand, at once respectable and titillating. The card not only promotes a product but also frames smoking as glamorous, associating it with the allure of the stage and the female form. Understanding this image means researching advertising history, the role of women in the performing arts, and the social history of smoking. These resources help to reveal the complex interplay between commerce, representation, and cultural norms.