Ada Melrose, from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1890

This small card, featuring actress Ada Melrose, was created by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. It’s an example of mass production using photographic and printing techniques to create inexpensive collectibles. The card’s sepia tone speaks to the albumen print process used. A thin layer of egg white containing photosensitive chemicals coats the paper, capturing the image from a glass negative. The paper support is humble, underscoring the card's disposable nature. This image would have been produced in staggering quantities. These cards represent the industrialization of image-making, using new technologies to transform photography from a specialized practice to a widespread form of advertising. Understanding the material reality of this card – its creation through mechanized means for the sake of commerce – allows us to look beyond the image itself. The making and distribution of the object are what really tell the story.