Card Number 243, Mary Mills, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-7) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

This card featuring Mary Mills was produced by W. Duke Sons & Co. sometime between 1870 and 1920 as part of a series of promotional materials for Duke Cigarettes. These cards were originally inserted into cigarette packs, part of a marketing strategy to boost sales. The actresses and actors featured were popular figures, and their association with the brand aimed to create a desirable image around smoking. The cultural references are embedded in the burgeoning advertising industry and the cult of celebrity that was emerging in the late 19th century. From an institutional perspective, this card illustrates how commercial entities influenced popular culture and how the imagery of the time was shaped by economic interests. We can explore the social history of advertising and its impact on shaping desires and lifestyles. To understand this card better, we can investigate archives of advertising history and study the biographies of popular actresses like Mary Mills. This helps reveal the social conditions that shaped artistic and commercial production in the past.