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

This photograph, “I Should Smile,” from the 1887 “Actresses and Celebrities” series, depicts a laughing infant. Produced by Allen & Ginter, a prominent tobacco company, the image is part of a larger set of trade cards used to promote the company’s Little Beauties Cigarettes brand. The simple composition, focusing on the child’s infectious grin, exemplifies the Victorian fascination with innocence and childhood. These cards were widely distributed, becoming a popular form of collectible memorabilia, particularly among children, and contributed to the spread of tobacco advertising.