Emma Sampson, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This is a carte de visite, a type of small photograph popular in the 19th century, depicting actress Emma Sampson. It was produced by Allen & Ginter, a company known for its trading cards, as part of a series promoting Virginia Brights cigarettes. The image features Sampson in a theatrical costume, holding a whip, likely a reference to a role she played. These cards, often collected for their images of celebrities and performers, showcase a popular form of advertising from this period.