Card Number 525, Netta Byron, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-7) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

This is card number 525, from the Actors and Actresses series, issued by Duke Sons & Co. in the late nineteenth century to promote Duke Cigarettes. It is made of paper, printed using a photomechanical process. The card features an image of Netta Byron, an actress of the period, likely reproduced from a photograph. These cards were produced on a massive scale, reflecting the industrialized nature of both tobacco production and image-making at the time. It's interesting to consider that the labor involved in cultivating tobacco and manufacturing cigarettes is directly linked to the production of these collectible cards. They were designed to be eye-catching and desirable, fueling consumer culture through the allure of celebrity and the promise of completeness by collecting the entire set. Ultimately, this card represents a convergence of industrial production, advertising, and celebrity culture. It challenges us to think about the relationship between mass production, labor, and the construction of value in everyday objects.