Card Number 28, Adelaide Detchon, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-6) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

This card, Number 28 in the "Actors and Actresses" series, was made around the turn of the 20th century by W. Duke, Sons & Co. It features Adelaide Detchon, and was printed as a promotional item for Duke Cigarettes. These cards were produced on a mass scale, utilizing printing technology of the industrial age. It would have involved photography, graphic design, and the industrial printing press – the kind of automated labor that defined the era. The sepia tone of the image gives it a nostalgic feel, yet it was utterly contemporary at the time, intended as a disposable element of everyday consumption. The image has a soft, diffused quality, lending an air of refinement. Yet the purpose of its creation, to promote cigarettes, connects it to a wider context of manufacturing, advertising and consumerism. It’s important to remember that even the most ephemeral object has a history embedded within it. This little card reflects big social and economic forces at play, making it more than just a pretty face.