Card Number 156, Clara Primrose, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-2) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This is a promotional card for Cross Cut Cigarettes, featuring actress Clara Primrose, produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. in the late 19th century. More than a mere advertisement, this card reflects the burgeoning celebrity culture of the time. Primrose, an actress, lends her image to the cigarette brand, blurring the lines between entertainment, commerce, and personal identity. Produced in America, a nation rapidly industrializing, the card illustrates a cultural shift where mass-produced goods and celebrity endorsements became intertwined. The pose, the costume, the carefully constructed backdrop – all contribute to a carefully crafted image designed to entice consumers. The card is a material vestige of a society in the midst of profound change. To fully understand this card, we might consult theater records, advertising archives, and social histories of the period. These resources reveal the complex interplay of art, commerce, and identity in shaping our cultural landscape.