Florence Chester, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 8) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This card, one of a series of cigarette cards from the late 19th century, was produced by Allen & Ginter to promote Virginia Brights Cigarettes. The image depicts Florence Chester, an actress of the time, in costume. The late 1800s saw the explosion of mass media and popular culture, and the marketing of tobacco products was at the forefront of this shift. The cards, collected and traded, provide a glimpse into the period's fascination with celebrity and performance. They also highlight the growing commercialization of leisure activities, as tobacco companies sought to associate their products with glamour, fame, and entertainment. Cards like these are now invaluable to cultural historians. By studying them alongside other period documents, we can investigate the economic, social, and artistic histories of the time.