Card Number 88, Miss Leicester, 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, made around the turn of the century by W. Duke, Sons & Co. The card depicts Miss Leicester, an actress, gazing into a mirror, wrapped in what appears to be a dressing gown. Such cards were hugely popular at the time and offer a fascinating insight into the social norms of the period. The theater was a major source of entertainment, and actors and actresses were some of the first celebrities, so their images were valuable assets for advertisers. Duke used these cards to create a link between smoking and glamour, associating their product with the alluring image of a beautiful woman. However, we need to consider how such images reflect broader issues of gender and representation. How did they reinforce or challenge social expectations? To delve deeper, one might consult theater ephemera, advertising archives, and social histories of the period. This helps us understand the complex interplay of commerce, celebrity, and cultural values in this seemingly simple card.