Card Number 27, Nellie Harding, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-6) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

This is Card Number 27, Nellie Harding, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-6) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes, sometime between 1870 and 1920. Though small, this card offers insight into the social and cultural life of the period. The image portrays Nellie Harding, presumably a well-known actress of her time. Cards like these, distributed with cigarette packs, were a popular form of advertising and entertainment. The Duke company leveraged the popularity of actors and actresses to promote its brand, tapping into the growing celebrity culture. The card reflects the rise of mass media and consumer culture in America. The image of Nellie Harding, like other celebrities, became a commodity. We can learn more about this period through resources like newspapers, theater programs, and advertising archives to understand the social and institutional context that shaped the production and consumption of these images.