Card Number 255, May Mills, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-7) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

This is card number 255, May Mills, from the Actors and Actresses series, made by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes, sometime between 1870 and 1920. These cards, like others from the period, were designed as promotional items, tucked into cigarette packs. But they also reveal much about the cultural values of their time. Note how May Mills, an actress, is presented. The composition emphasizes her beauty and elegance, conforming to ideals of femininity. Consider the relationship between consumer culture and the performing arts. Actresses like May Mills became associated with brands like Duke Cigarettes, blurring the lines between entertainment, advertising, and personal identity. To fully appreciate this card, we might delve into the history of advertising, the rise of celebrity culture, and the social roles of women in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Such inquiries show us how commercial images reflect and shape society's values.