Good Bye, Sweetheart, Good Bye, from the Illustrated Songs series (N116) issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1893

W. Duke, Sons & Co. created this illustrated song card titled "Good Bye, Sweetheart, Good Bye," as part of a promotional series for Honest Long Cut Tobacco. In the late 19th century, the image of a woman waving farewell from a seaside vista carried layers of meaning. It evokes themes of longing and separation, which were heightened during a time marked by significant emigration and naval conflicts. The woman, idealized and fair, symbolizes a vision of femininity deeply rooted in the era’s social expectations. The use of such imagery to promote tobacco raises questions about the intersection of gender, commerce, and cultural values. What does it mean to use the emotional resonance of parting to sell a product? This card serves as a poignant reminder of the complex ways in which emotions, identity, and consumerism were intertwined.