Card Number 237, Dupre, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-1) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

Editor: This is "Card Number 237, Dupre" from the Actors and Actresses series, created in the 1880s by W. Duke, Sons & Co. as an advertisement. The image itself has an appealing antiquated style, that's been applied in print, it makes me wonder about how people regarded promotional content so differently then. What intrigues you most about this piece? Curator: Well, beyond the sepia tones that evoke a certain nostalgia, I find myself wondering about Dupre herself. Is it a stage name? Was she a celebrated actress, a rising starlet, or just someone who fit the aesthetic of Cross Cut Cigarettes? The context is fascinating; these cards weren't just advertising, they were collectibles, little windows into a world of entertainment and commerce colliding, almost like the influencers of their day. And the printing itself... you can almost smell the ink, can't you? The scent of another time. Editor: Absolutely! Thinking about them as collectibles is something I didn't think of...It's strange how something meant to be so disposable is now behind glass. Does knowing it was advertising cheapen the portrait in any way for you? Curator: "Cheapen" is too strong a word. I’d say it complicates it, imbues it with an interesting tension. We're used to ads being intrusive, clamoring for our attention. But here, there’s a sort of quiet dignity. It reminds me of a daguerreotype left in grandma's attic - time gives such pieces an undeniable aura, and a feeling I find personally sentimental. Do you see that too? Editor: I see it. Thinking about time adding depth and layers...It changes how I initially saw this as a purely commercial thing. Curator: Exactly! It's like finding a message in a bottle, washed up on the shores of time. Each layer of history, each faded hue, tells a story we can only imagine.