Card Number 217, Charlotte Perry, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-5) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cameo Cigarettes 1880s

Card Number 217, Charlotte Perry, was created around the turn of the century by W. Duke, Sons & Co. as a promotional card for Cameo Cigarettes. The card presents a portrait of the actress Charlotte Perry holding a cat. The sepia tones evoke nostalgia. The composition is structured by a central figure—Perry—with the cat, framed by soft-focus details of a garden setting. Perry's pose, together with the inclusion of the cat, suggests a constructed reality aimed at enhancing the actress's public image, while also lending to the idea of familiarity and approachability. This form of image-making participates in the burgeoning cult of celebrity, yet it remains mediated through careful manipulation of visual elements. As a commercial object, the card functions as a sign in the semiotic system of advertising, where Perry's likeness is coded to elevate the status and desirability of the Cameo Cigarettes. The formal construction of the card, therefore, not only captures a likeness but also actively participates in the construction of value.