Card Number 312, Vera Townsend, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-3) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This small card was made by W. Duke, Sons & Co. around the turn of the 20th century, using photographic and printing techniques to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes. The sepia-toned image shows two burlesque actresses in costume. The material of the card itself is thin and mass-produced, a disposable object designed for widespread circulation. Think about the labor involved, from the cultivation of tobacco to the printing and distribution of these cards. It speaks volumes about the industrial processes transforming American society at this time. These cards were essentially miniature billboards, capitalizing on the popularity of performers to sell a product. The choice of image, hinting at the risqué world of burlesque, was undoubtedly intended to titillate and attract consumers. The photograph itself would have been carefully posed and printed using industrialized techniques, quite different from the hand-painted portraits of previous eras. The commodification of art and entertainment through mass production is evident here. This little card is a window into the social and economic forces shaping leisure and consumption at the time.