Florence, from the Actresses and Celebrities series (N60, Type 2) promoting Little Beauties Cigarettes for Allen & Ginter brand tobacco products 1887

This small photograph of a child called Florence was produced by Allen & Ginter, a tobacco company, as a promotional item for their Little Beauties Cigarettes. In the late 19th century, these cards were inserted into cigarette packs, capitalizing on the rising popularity of both smoking and collecting. The image presents Florence, dressed in lace, resting on a ledge adorned with flowers. It's tempting to see this card simply as a relic of advertising history. But it also offers insight into the social values and marketing strategies of the time. It suggests an unsettling association between childhood innocence and the allure of smoking. The “Little Beauties” series reflects a broader cultural phenomenon, one in which images of women and children were used to market a range of products, reinforcing gendered stereotypes and ideals of beauty. By studying advertisements like this, alongside other historical sources, we can better understand the complex relationship between commerce, representation, and society in the past.