Card 888, Marie Burroughs, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 2) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This is a trade card of Marie Burroughs from the Actors and Actresses series, created by Allen and Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. It's a small photographic print, mass-produced as a promotional item. The card's sepia tones and smooth surface are the result of photographic processes common in the late 19th century, techniques which were also used for family portraits and other keepsakes of the era. However, instead of being treasured for sentimental value, this image of Burroughs, like the other actresses in the series, was designed for a fleeting moment of consumerism and discard. This makes it a poignant artifact, reminding us of the labor involved in manufacturing both the cigarettes and the associated advertising. Consider the number of hands that touched this card: from the cultivation of tobacco, to the labor in the cigarette factory, to the photographer, printer and marketers involved in its production, and finally to the consumer. It’s a reminder that even the smallest and most ephemeral objects carry complex stories about labor, consumption, and the social life of things.