From the Actresses and Celebrities series (N60, Type 1) promoting Little Beauties Cigarettes for Allen & Ginter brand tobacco products 1887

This 1887 trade card features a photograph of actress Rose Coghlan, part of the “Actresses and Celebrities” series from Allen & Ginter. The card promotes “Little Beauties Cigarettes”, a product of the Allen & Ginter brand tobacco company. The image is a cabinet card, a popular photographic format of the late 19th century, depicting Coghlan in a theatrical pose. This piece exemplifies the popular use of celebrity endorsements to promote tobacco products during this period. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City houses this card, along with other artifacts from the history of American advertising and popular culture.