[Actress wearing plumed hat and cape], from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-6) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

Curator: This photographic print from the 1880s features an actress wearing a plumed hat and cape, and it comes from the Actors and Actresses series issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote their cigarettes. Editor: It's fascinating to consider how something so fragile, almost like an antiquated playing card, became a vessel for commerce. The image has faded and is distressed, and it really underscores the material's ephemerality, while at the same time subtly highlighting issues around celebrity and consumption. Curator: Indeed. Cigarette cards like these served as a means of both advertising and collecting in the late 19th century. The cards offered portraits of popular figures—actors, athletes, and even political personalities—glamorizing their association with the brand. It highlights the emerging celebrity culture and its intersections with consumerism. Editor: And speaking to the production, it begs the question of who assembled them and what kind of labor and photographic processes were at play to churn out these tiny cards meant to be carelessly handled or casually tossed aside. The materiality and means of its creation speak volumes about the societal values placed on image versus substance. Curator: Absolutely. This seemingly simple image encapsulates a confluence of cultural forces at play—the rise of mass media, the cult of celebrity, and the burgeoning advertising industry that commodified both. Editor: And now, faded sepia becomes the filter through which we question the societal machine turning images, tobacco, and entertainment into one consumable package. Looking at this little rectangle of distressed cardboard invites us to reflect upon not just what we consume but also what consumption does to culture itself. Curator: Well said. It serves as a poignant reminder of the intertwined nature of commerce, celebrity, and public image, offering valuable insight into the values of the late 19th century. Editor: I couldn’t agree more. Something discarded from a pack of cigarettes manages to ask tough questions of how images circulate and take hold of culture and materiality.