Card 324, Aimi Gloryprint, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This card featuring Aimi Gloryprint was produced by Allen & Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. These cards, printed on thin paper stock, were made to be collected, traded, and enjoyed as ephemera. What’s most interesting to me is the way that images of actors were mass-produced and distributed as promotional items. This shows how popular culture was being packaged and sold alongside everyday goods. The image’s sepia tone gives it a nostalgic feel, but it’s important to remember that these cards were made for a specific purpose: to sell cigarettes. The printing process allowed for a large number of images to be produced quickly and cheaply, turning Gloryprint's image into a commodity. Thinking about the labor involved in growing tobacco, manufacturing cigarettes, and printing these cards reveals the complex social and economic relationships at play. The humble cigarette card shows us how art, commerce, and labor were intertwined in the late 19th century.