Card 400, Addie Adams, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This albumen silver print, made by Allen & Ginter in Richmond, Virginia, was included in packs of Virginia Brights Cigarettes. It is a portrait of Addie Adams, one of many actresses featured in these collectible cards. The material itself – a thin card with a sepia-toned photographic print – speaks volumes about its purpose. This wasn't meant for a museum wall; it was a mass-produced item, churned out to boost cigarette sales. The choice of albumen print, a popular photographic process at the time, allowed for relatively quick and inexpensive reproduction. Consider the number of these cards that must have been made, each one requiring labor in the photography studio and the printing shop. By packaging these portraits with cigarettes, Allen & Ginter blurred the lines between art, advertising, and commodity, cleverly weaving celebrity culture into everyday consumption. The image of Addie Adams, a recognizable face, became a token of desire, much like the cigarettes themselves.