Frank Wilson in Old Turkish Costume, from the set Actors and Actresses, First Series (N70) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888 - 1889

This vibrant little card, printed around 1888 by W. Duke & Sons, is from a series of cigarette cards depicting actors and actresses. These were printed using chromolithography, a now-obsolete printing technique that used multiple stones to apply different colors. The card's smooth surface and bright colors are a direct result of the industrial printing process, which allowed for mass production and distribution. The image of Frank Wilson in "Old Turkish Costume" is particularly striking. The costume itself is quite interesting – likely a theatrical pastiche, rather than an accurate depiction. But the point was not authenticity; it was spectacle. The card speaks to the culture of celebrity, consumerism, and exoticism that was emerging at the time. These small, mass-produced cards offer us insight into the labor, politics, and consumption of the late 19th century, blurring the lines between art, commerce, and cultural representation. They remind us that even the humblest of objects can carry significant meaning and value.