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

This is a black and white photograph from 1887 by Allen & Ginter depicting Minnie Hauk, a famous opera singer. It was part of a series of trading cards called "Actresses and Celebrities" created to promote Little Beauties Cigarettes for Allen & Ginter brand tobacco products. The card depicts Hauk in a formal pose with her hair styled in a fashionable updo and wearing a patterned dress. The image is characteristic of the card-collecting craze popular in the late 19th century. This particular card is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.