Card Number 350, Miss Hall and Miss Waldemere, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-5) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cameo Cigarettes 1880s

This card featuring Miss Hall and Miss Waldemere was produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. in the late 19th century as a promotional item for Cameo Cigarettes. These cards, popular at the time, offer a glimpse into the cultural values and commercial strategies of the Gilded Age in the United States. The choice to feature actresses speaks to the growing celebrity culture and the public's fascination with the performing arts. Tobacco companies like Duke capitalized on this by associating their products with glamour and sophistication, subtly encouraging consumers to see smoking as a part of a desirable lifestyle. The poses, costumes, and studio backdrop of the women reflect the theatrical conventions of the time. The production and distribution of these cards involved complex economic networks and labor practices. Research into advertising history, theater archives, and business records can reveal much more about the intersection of art, commerce, and society in this period.