Card Number 49, Fanny Corey, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-4) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cameo Cigarettes 1880s

This is a trade card of Fanny Corey, made by W. Duke Sons & Co., as part of an Actors and Actresses series to promote Cameo Cigarettes. Produced in the late 19th century, these cards reflect a burgeoning consumer culture and evolving attitudes toward women in the public sphere. At a time when the visibility of women in entertainment was both celebrated and scrutinized, cards like these offered a sanitized, marketable version of femininity. Fanny Corey, an actress, is captured in a posed, theatrical manner; her identity is inextricably linked to her profession, and thus, her public persona. These cards were both a product of and a contributor to the commodification of fame, turning actors and actresses into collectible items. What does it mean to turn a person into a brand? This card invites us to consider the complex interplay between identity, performance, and commercial culture in shaping the narratives of women in the public eye.