May Danforth, Corsair Co./ Maud Waldemere, Corsair Co./ Florence Baker, Corsair Co./ Laura Curtis, Corsair Co., from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 4) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This card was printed by Allen & Ginter, as part of a series of promotional ephemera for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. Printed on thin paper stock, the card features portraits of actresses from the "Corsair Co.". The production of these cards was intertwined with broader industrial and consumer culture. Printed in multiples, these kinds of mass-produced cards are less about the individual actresses, and more about the burgeoning business of advertising. It’s interesting to note that the production processes would have been highly mechanized, indicative of the era’s industrial advancements. The very act of mass-producing images of these women and packaging them with cigarettes speaks volumes about the era’s attitudes toward labor, commerce, and the commodification of culture. This little card provides an insight into the relationships between art, industry, and society in a rapidly changing world.