Card Number 182, Mrs. James Brown Potter, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-5) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cameo Cigarettes 1880s

This is card number 182, Mrs. James Brown Potter, made by W. Duke, Sons & Co. in the late nineteenth century as a promotional item for Cameo Cigarettes. What's interesting here is the intersection of celebrity culture, consumerism, and gender roles in America. The company used images of popular actresses to promote its product, tapping into the public's fascination with the entertainment industry. Mrs. Potter, a prominent actress of the time, is depicted in a manner that emphasizes her beauty and elegance, aligning the cigarettes with sophistication and glamour. This also reflects the evolving role of women in society as actresses gained prominence and challenged traditional norms. But it is important to remember that institutional sources, like the media, construct images for a purpose. It takes careful historical research to unpack the multiple forces at play here.