Josie Dirkee, Erminie Co./ Blanche Thornton/ Laura Curtis, Corsair Co., from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 4) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This promotional card for Virginia Brights Cigarettes features portraits of actresses, and was made by Allen & Ginter, sometime in the late nineteenth century. It’s printed on thin card stock, using a photomechanical process to reproduce the images. These cards were essentially capitalist ephemera, mass-produced to be included in cigarette packs. The production process was highly industrialized, reflecting the rise of consumer culture, and the way it penetrated every corner of social life. Note that the actresses are identified not only by name, but by company affiliation – essentially endorsing the cigarettes. The card's small scale belies the complex system of labor and consumption it represents. From the tobacco fields to the printing press, numerous hands were involved in its making, all for the sake of selling a fleeting pleasure. So, next time you light up, consider the intricate web of connections that brought that little stick of tobacco into your hand. It’s all there, implicit in this small piece of cardboard.