As with other Hollywood and non-Hollywood stars, Louise Brooks’ image could be found on a number of commercial products. In the 1920s and 1930s, these products included printed items such as postcards, trading cards, and what are colloquially known as cigarette cards. The most familiar, of course, are postcards. They require a postage stamp to be sent through the mail, typically had an image on the front and space for a message on the back, and measure approximately 4 x 6 inches (or 10.2 x 15.2 cm). Trading or product cards were, as a rule, smaller in size, and were usually inserted into the packaging of a variety of items such as bread, cookies, candy (chocolate and gum), sugar, flour, and tobacco. The cards known as cigarette cards are considered a subset of trading cards, but differ in that they were inserted into just one type of product, namely packs of cigarettes. Essentially, trading cards were novelty items inserted into product packaging as an inducement to purchase… as in buy our product and “collect them all”. Though such cards were considered disposable and sometimes poorly printed, others were finely printed, attractive, and collected by film buffs or fans of the actor or actress they depicted. Some card publishers, whose series ran into the dozens or hundreds, even issued albums as a further inducement to collectors. Along with cards, albums also survive.
This page on the Louise Brooks Society website gathers a selection of vintage cards which do not depict Louise Brooks, but which are directly connected to films in which she appeared, namely The Street of Forgotten Men (1925) and The American Venus (1926). So far, these are the only one’s found — certainly, there must be others. The details behind some of these cards is lacking. If you know additional information about any of these cards, or possess other cards and would like to share a scan of your vintage treasure, please CONTACT the Louise Brooks Society. Thanks so much for your interest.
 |
 |
 |
 |
| The Street of Forgotten Men arcade card, United States |
The American Venus postcard, Italy |
The American Venus postcard, Germany |
The American Venus postcard, Germany |
The Street of Forgotten Men card, tinted cherry red, was manufactured by the Exhibit Supply Company of Chicago, Illinois. Like other arcade cards, it was printed on a thicker stock than most postcards. Though it was meant to promote the film, Mary Brian’s name is mistakenly given as Mabel Brian.
The other three postcards tie-in with The American Venus. One depicts Esther Ralston, the star of the film, while the other two depict Fay Lanphier — the 1925 Miss America, around who the film’s story was built. Each of the three American Venus cards display the Paramount logo.
 |
| cigarette card, Uruguay SUPER Cigarettes Film Stars |