Card Number 164, Clara Ellison, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-6) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

This is a promotional card featuring Clara Ellison, an actress, made by Duke Sons & Co. to advertise Duke Cigarettes. It’s a tiny object, made of coated card stock with a photograph printed on it. What’s interesting is how this small card connects to much larger systems of production and consumption. In the late 19th century, the Duke company pioneered the use of mass manufacturing and advertising to sell cigarettes on an unprecedented scale. These cards, produced in vast quantities, were inserted into cigarette packs as a marketing gimmick, capitalizing on popular interest in actresses and other celebrities. Consider the labor involved: from the tobacco fields to the factories churning out cigarettes and printed ephemera, all supported by Ellison’s acting profession. The image is sepia-toned, adding to the vintage feel, but also reminding us of the industrial processes behind its making. So, next time you light up, consider the complex web of materials, making, and social context that go into even the smallest of everyday objects. It really makes you think about how intertwined art, commerce, and labor have always been.