Card Number 90, Larkelle, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-1) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This small card, printed by W. Duke, Sons & Co. around the turn of the 20th century, was made to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes. It's a collectible from a series featuring actors and actresses. These cards were a form of advertising, capitalizing on the burgeoning popularity of celebrity culture. Note the way Larkelle is posed, her confident gaze and suggestive attire were designed to catch the eye. In the United States, at this time, the burgeoning tobacco industry was finding increasingly elaborate ways to promote itself. These trade cards became ubiquitous. Understanding this image requires us to consider the social conditions that shaped the production and consumption of both entertainment and tobacco products. A look into the archives of advertising history, the biographies of performers, and the history of tobacco companies, could tell us a great deal about the cultural values and economic forces at play during this period.