Card Number 390, Elsie Pettie, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-3) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This is Card Number 390, Elsie Pettie, a promotional card from the Actors and Actresses series, created by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to advertise Cross Cut Cigarettes. These cards, popular in the late 19th century, offer a glimpse into the cultural values of the Gilded Age. Elsie Pettie, a stage actress, is presented here not just as an individual but as a marketable image, carefully constructed to appeal to consumers. Her presentation, with an emphasis on beauty and elegance, reflects the era's focus on the commodification of women's images within the burgeoning advertising industry. While these cards seem like harmless promotion, they reveal complex negotiations of identity and representation. For women like Elsie, such exposure could offer fame, but at the cost of being objectified. The card's very existence speaks to the intertwined histories of entertainment, advertising, and the evolving role of women in public life.