Card Number 134, Rose Coghlan, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-4) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cameo Cigarettes 1880s

This is a promotional card for Duke’s Cameo Cigarettes, featuring actress Rose Coghlan. It was made in the United States, sometime between 1870 and 1920. These cards were a popular marketing tool. They were collected and traded, thus associating the advertised product with leisure, entertainment, and celebrity culture. Here, Coghlan is presented as a vision of feminine beauty, reinforcing prevailing societal standards of the time. By circulating and celebrating the likeness of public figures, these cards also played a role in the growing culture of celebrity. Was this a celebration of the democratization of culture, or the cynical manipulation of social values by commercial interests? The work of historians lies in understanding the complex interplay between art, commerce, and society. Original documents, such as company records, newspapers, and personal letters, can provide a more complete picture. What values did these images promote, and what effect did they have?